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DR.    LYMAN    SPALDING 


DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

THE  ORIGINATOR  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES  PHARMACOPCEIA 


CO-LABORER  WITH   DR.  NATHAN  SMITH  IN   THE 

FOUNDING  OF  THE  DARTMOUTH   MEDICAL 

SCHOOL  AND   ITS  FIRST   CHEMICAL 

LECTURER; 

PRESIDENT  AND  PROFESSOR   OF    ANATOMY  AND 
SURGERY  OF  THE   COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS 
AND  SURGEONS  OF  THE  WESTERN  DIS- 
TRICT, AT  FAIRFIELD,  N.  Y. 


BY  HIS  GRANDSON 

Dr.  JAMES  ALFRED   SPALDING 


BOSTON 

W.  M.  LEONARD,  Publisher 

1916 


\^ 


Copyright,  1916, 
By  W.  M.  Leonard 


Stanbope  iPrcsa 

r.    H.   CILSON     COMPANY 
BOSTON.     U.S.A. 


To  THE  Memory  of 
MY  FATHER 

who  would  have  been  pleased  to  know 

as  much  about  his  illustrious 

Father  as  time  has  at 

last  enabled  me 

to  discover 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

Open  Knowledge  Commons 


http://www.archive.org/details/drlymanspaldinOOspal 


HOW  THIS  HAPPENED  TO  BE  WRITTEN. 

When  my  father,  Lyman  Dyer  Spalding,  was  a  boy  of 
eleven  (1821)  his  father,  Dr.  Lyman  Spalding,  died,  leaving 
to  his  widow,  Elizabeth  Coues  Spalding,  all  of  his  papers. 
When  she  died  in  1838,  they  were  laid  aside  by  his  eldest 
daughter.  Miss  Elizabeth  Parkhurst  Spalding,  and  after  her 
death  they  fell  into  the  hands  of  Pay  Director  Joseph  Foster 
U.S.N. ,  Rear  Admiral  Retired,  a  son  of  Mrs.  Adelaide  Spald- 
ing Foster,  the  last  surviving  child  of  Dr.  Spalding.  Eight 
years  ago  he  gave  me  these  ancient  documents  to  look  over, 
and,  on  unfolding  them,  I  found  a  treasure  for  illuminating 
American  Medical  History  in  the  form  of  letters  to  my 
Grandfather  from  the  leading  physicians  of  his  time. 

I  now  propose  to  print  a  selection  from  these  papers  in 
order  to  show  what  part  Dr.  Spalding  took  in  the  advance- 
ment of  American  medicine.  Much  to  my  regret,  none  of 
his  own  letters  have  been  discovered,  but  I  have  before  me 
a  few  copies  of  those  which  were  probably  sent  to  various 
friends.  Interweaving  these,  with  anecdotes  of  their  writers 
and  of  the  chief  personages  named  therein,  I  propose  to  recall 
to  memory  the  career  of  a  distinguished  man  in  medicine. 
An  occasional  abruptness  in  the  narrative  depends  upon  my 
inability  to  discover  after  so  long  a  lapse  of  time  the  missing 
links  of  the  story,  or  upon  the  interruptions  of  medical 
practice. 

Grateful  thanks  are  due  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  Walter  C. 
McCaw,  U.S.A.,  of  the  Surgeon  General's  Library,  to  Mrs. 
R.  M.  Thompson  of  the  Boston  Medical  Library,  to  Mr. 
John  S.  Brownne,  Librarian  of  the  New  York  Academy  of 
Medicine,  for  much  assistance  in  reconstructing  the  lives 
of  the  personages  of  this  story;  to  Mrs.  Emily  A.  Smith  of 
Baltimore  for  anecdotes  concerning  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  to 
Dr.  Frederick  C.  Shattuck  of  Boston  for  letters  from  Dr. 
Spalding  to  his  Grandfather,  Dr.  George  Cheyne  Shattuck,  to 
Rear  Admiral  Foster  for  many  hints  on  family  history  and 
to  Dr.  Walter  L.  Burrage  of  Boston  who  with  great  patience 
reviewed  my  MSS  and  suggested  many  improvements. 

The  Author. 

Portland,  Maine, 
August,  1916. 


TABLE   OF  CONTENTS. 

Chapter  Page 

I.    Family  Notes  and  Early  Years 1 

II.    Lecturer  on  Chemistry  and  Materia  Medica  at  the  Dart- 
mouth Medical  School,  1797-99 12 

III.  Six  Months  of  Medical  Practice  at  Walpole,  New  Hamp- 

shire   ^9 

IV.  Thirteen   Years   at  Portsmouth,   New  Hampshire,   1799- 

1812.     Bills  of  Mortality.     Surgeon's  Mate  in  the  United 
States  Army.     Final  Lectures  at  Dartmouth  ....       37 

V.    Introduction  of  Vaccination,  1800 58 

VI.    New    Acquaintances    and    Old    Friendships.      Marriage. 

1800-1802 63 

VII.   Public  Tests   of  the    Preventive  Value  of  Vaccination. 

1801 88 

VIII.   Fever  Epidemic.     Vaccination  Experiments  in  1802     .     ,100 

IX.    Medical  Life  at  Portsmouth.     1803-1806 110 

X.   American  Edition  of  Willan,  "On  Cutaneous  Diseases." 
Benjamin  Fay,  an  Episode  in  the  Life  of  Dr.  Nathan 

Smith 126 

XI.    Letters  to  Baron  Alibert,  and  the  Bells,  in  1808.     Visit  to 

Dartmouth  as  Demonstrator  for  Dr.  Alexander  Kamsay.     148 
XII.    Visit  to  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  1809-1810.      .     .      .166 

XIII.  Events  and  Letters  Keceived  in  1809-1810 180 

XIV.  Lecturer  on  Anatomy  and  Surgery,  and  President  of  the 

Fairfield  Medical  School.     1810-1812 192 

XV.    President  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  the 

Western  District  of  New  York.     1813-1817     ....     229 
XVI.    Review  of  Events  between  the  Return  from  Philadelphia 

and  the  Removal  to  New  York.     1810-1813    ....     243 

XVII.  Last  Year  in  Portsmouth.     1812 251 

XVIII.  Four  Years  in  New  York  Previous  to  the  Proposal  for 

Establishing  a  National  Pharmacopoeia 275 

XIX.  Beginnings  of  the  Pharmacopoeia.  The  Barber  Family. 
Chair  of  Anatomy  in  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  School. 
Dr.  J.  L.  E.  W.  Shecut,  Gov.  Plumer,  Dr.  Trevett, 

Dr.  Usher  Parsons 283 

vii 


viii  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

XX.    The  Case  of  James  Cann,  and  the  Pamphlet  on  Scutellaria 

Lateriflora  in  Hydrophobia 319 

XXI.  A  Brief  Summary  of  what  Dr.  Spalding  accomplished  in 
New  York  City,  with  Notes  on  some  of  the  Physicians 
with  whom  he  was  most  Intimate.  1813-1821  .  .  .  329 
XXII.  The  PharmacopcBia  of  the  United  States  of  America:  its 
Origin,  and  Collaborators.  Accident  to  Dr.  Spalding. 
Return  to  Portsmouth  and  Death.     1817-1821    .     .     ,     334 


LIFE  OP  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 


CHAPTER  I. 

Family  Notes  and  Early  Years. 

Lyman  Spalding,  later  on  to  become  a  Doctor  of  Medicine, 
Lecturer  on  Chemistry  and  Materia  Medica  at  the  Dart- 
mouth Medical  School,  President  of  the  College  of  Physi- 
cians and  Surgeons  of  the  Western  District  of  New  York, 
and  Originator  of  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia,  was 
born  in  Cornish,  New  Hampshire,  June  5,  1775.  His  father, 
Dyer  Spalding,  was  born  in  Plainfield,  Connecticut,  No- 
vember 14,  1732,  and  was  a  descendant  in  the  fourth  gener- 
ation from  Edward  Spalding,  who  is  supposed  to  have  come 
from  England  to  Jamestown,  Virginia,  in  1619.  When  that 
settlement  was  destroyed  by  the  Indians,  Edward  removed 
to  Braintree,  Massachusetts,  where  he  is  first  recorded  as  a 
citizen  in  1640.  Dyer  Spalding  was  a  soldier  and  officer  in 
the  Colonial  Wars,  a  friend  of  General  Israel  Putnam  in 
whose  Rangers  he  served,  and  he  had  from  George  I.  a  com- 
mission, which  I  recall  as  a  tattered  parchment  in  my 
youthful  days.  He  moved  to  Cornish  in  1766  in  company 
with  Moses  and  Samuel  Chase,  who  after  the  Township  had 
been  granted  to  Reverend  Samuel  McClintock  of  Greenland, 
New  Hampshire,  called  it  Cornish,  in  honor  of  Cornwall, 
whence  the  Chases  had  emigrated  to  America.  After  pre- 
empting land  with  Thomas  Wilson  of  Plainfield,  who  had 
married  his  sister,  Lois,  Dyer  Spalding  returned  to  Con- 
necticut and  married  March  11,  1767,  Elizabeth  Cady 
Parkhurst,  daughter  of  Timothy  and  Elizabeth  Cady  Park- 
hurst  of  Plainfield.  Of  my  great  grandmother  I  only  know 
that  she  was  born  July  7,  1734,  was  an  excellent  housewife, 
brought  to  her  husband  three  children  and  died  June  3,  1816, 
aged  82. 

The  Spaldings  returned  to  Cornish  on  their  honeymoon, 
and  lived  there  quietly  until  the  Revolution,  when  Dyer 

1 


2  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

took  an  active  part  in  Town  affairs.  Twice  during  the  War 
he  served  as  Quartermaster,  and  was  present  at  Ticonderoga 
and  Saratoga.  He  was  entitled ' '  Ma j  or ' '  and  later ' '  Colonel ' ' 
after  serving  as  Lieutenant  Colonel  in  the  XV  Regiment  of 
New  Hampshire  Militia  in  1788.  He  helped  to  found 
Trinity  Parish  in  Cornish,  often  served  as  lay  reader  in  the 
Church  in  the  absence  of  the  Rector,  and  accumulated 
a  little  money,  leaving  at  his  death  some  $4000  and  an 
arable  farm  of  500  acres.  He  lived  to  be  82,  dying  April 
27,  1814. 

Cornish  has  always  borne  a  celebrated  name  amongst 
New  Hampshire  towns,  many  political  conventions  were 
held  there  during  the  Revolution,  it  has  given  birth  to  many 
celebrated  men,  and  in  our  day,  it  is  a  famous  smnmer  re- 
sort. Cornish  farms  were  talked  about  in  the  XVIII  Cen- 
tury and  Cornish  Gardens  are  famed  in  the  XXth.  Amongst 
the  renowned  men  of  Cornish  were  three  of  International 
Fame;  Right  Reverend  Philander  Chase  the  First  Bishop  of 
Ohio,  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  the  founder  of  Medical  Schools  at 
Dartmouth,  Yale  and  Bowdoin  and  Dr.  Lyman  Spalding. 
With  the  Bishop  this  book  has  little  to  do  except  to  print 
a  few  of  his  letters.  With  Dr.  Smith  the  Story  begins,  for 
without  his  directing  influence,  Lyman  Spalding  would  prob- 
ably not  have  reached  his  lofty  medical  position. 

Nathan  Smith  was  born  at  Rehoboth,  Massachusetts, 
September  30, 1762,  and  was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Vermont 
where  he  drifted  into  manhood  as  a  farmer.  He  happened 
to  see  Dr.  Josiah  Goodhue  of  Putney,  operate,  asked  that 
physician  to  make  a  Doctor,  too,  of  him,  and  after  studying 
English  for  a  year  and  following  Dr.  Goodhue's  practice  he 
settled  in  Cornish  as  a  physician  in  1786. 

After  a  year  or  two  of  practice  he  recognized  his  defective 
medical  education,  attended  lectures  at  the  Harvard  Medical 
School  and  obtained  there  his  degree  of  M.D.,  in  1790,  pre- 
senting a  Graduating  Thesis  "  On  the  Causes  and  Effects  of 
Spasms  in  Fever."  In  looking  over  the  Town  Papers  of 
Cornish  I  find  that  in  January,  1791,  he  handed  in  a  petition 
for  a  Lottery  of  the  value  of  £100,  the  proceeds  to  be  de- 
voted to  purchasing  a  medical  library  for  the  instruction  of 
medical  students  and  practitioners  of  medicine  in  that  part 
of  the  Country. 

Whether  this  succeeded  or  not,  I  have  not  discovered. 


FAMILY  NOTES  3 

He  married  in  succession  two  daughters  of  Colonel  Jona- 
than Chase,  Elizabeth  and  Sarah,  and  soon  took  notice  of 
young  Spalding,  who  was  seven  years  of  age  when  Dr.  Smith 
settled  in  Cornish.  Knowing  the  advantages  of  education, 
he  induced  Colonel  Spalding  to  send  his  pretty  boy  to 
Charlestown  Academy,  not  far  away,  where  he  studied 
Enghsh  and  Latin,  and  was  there  graduated  July  14,  1794. 
In  honor  of  the  occasion  the  students  acted  Sheridan's  "  She 
Stoops  to  Conquer,"  as  an  old  play  bill  before  me  shows. 
"  Pretty"  I  have  called  my  grandfather,  for  Benjamin 
Waterhouse  called  him  "  Beauty"  Spalding,  and  John  Neal, 
a  Famous  American,  granted  that  grandfather  was  good 
looking  enough,  but  vowed  that  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Coues, 
was  the  most  beautiful  woman  he  ever  saw. 

Of  Colonel  Spalding's  other  children  it  may  here  be  men- 
tioned, that  Silas,  the  elder  son,  a  simple  farmer  as  his 
letters  show,  was  born  May  5,  1772,  and  died  September  20, 
1844.  Esther,  the  eldest  child,  was  born  May  5,  1769,  and 
married  in  Claremont,  near  by,  a  farmer  by  the  odd  name  of 
"BILL"  Barnes,  who  also  kept  a  tavern  which  stands  to 
this  day.  Esther,  who  was  his  second  wife,  lived  to  be  94, 
and  I  can  remember  seeing  her  bent  over  a  wash  tub  when  she 
was  over  90. 

I  do  not  understand  why  young  Spalding  did  not  go  to 
Dartmouth  like  other  boys  from  Cornish,  but  immediately 
after  leaving  the  Academy,  he  rode  about  seeing  patients 
with  Dr.  Smith,  and  first  attended  lectures  at  the  Harvard 
Medical  School  in  the  Winter  of  1794.  Diaries  of  various 
horseback  rides  to  Cambridge  and  return  are  stiU  extant, 
and  from  them  I  take  a  few  interesting  biographical  notes. 

The  first  journey  was  made  in  company  with  Dr.  Smith 
and  Dr.  Alexander  Augustus  Dame,  later  a  member  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Medical  Society.  Dr.  Smith  evidently 
went  with  his  pupil  in  order  to  introduce  him  to  the  Faculty 
as  weU  as  to  renew  with  them  his  former  acquaintances. 
Riding  through  Fitchburg,  Spalding  finally  lodged  for  the 
Winter  with  Mrs.  Moore  of  Cambridge,  who  charged  him 
sixteen  shilHngs  a  week  for  board  and  two  for  a  room. 
The  tickets  for  lectures  from  Dr.  Waterhouse^  and  Dr. 

1  Dr.  Benjamin  Waterhouse  (1754-1846),  Professor  of  Materia 
Medica  and  the  Theory  and  Practice  of  Physick,  studied  medicine  at 
Edinburgh  and  obtained  his  degree  at  Leyden.    He  settled  in  Cam- 


4  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Warren^  were  $14  each.  After  Dr.  Smith  had  set  off  for  home, 
Spalding  hired  a  chaise  into  which  he  hitched  his  horse,  and 
drove  to  Boston  where  he  spent  money  on  nuts,  dried  peaches 
and  velvet  for  a  waistcoat.  He  "  gave  a  dole  to  a  blind 
beggar,"  took  a  look  at  an  elephant,  and  went  to  Long 
Wharf  where  he  saw  a  French  Man  of  War,  Before  re- 
turning to  Cambridge  he  saw  Dr.  Dexter, ^  and  paid  him  $14, 
also,  for  a  Chemistry  Ticket. 

bridge  and  was  appointed  Professor  at  the  time  of  the  foundation  of 
the  Medical  Schools.  He  wrote  a  good  deal  publicly  on  Botany,  and 
Natvu-al  History,  but  in  1800  began  and  continued  for  years  a  vigorous 
campaign  in  favor  of  Vaccination,  being  the  First  Physician  in  America 
to  vaccinate  as  a  preventive  against  the  Small  Pox.  After  failing  to 
obtain  a  monetary  reward  for  his  services  in  the  introduction  of  vac- 
cination, he  was  appointed  Surgeon  to  nine  Medical  Posts  in  New 
England,  and  later  still  became  Surgeon  General  to  the  Military  De- 
partment of  New  England.  A  circular  Letter  of  his  addressed  to  the 
Surgeons  of  the  Department  in  1817,  directs  them  in  the  diagnosis  and 
treatment  of  dysentery  amongst  the  soldiers. 

Dr.  Waterhouse  retired  from  practice  in  1820  and  spent  much  time 
on  "The  Letters  of  Junius"  which  he  ascribed  to  Chatham.  He  was 
a  fertile  writer  on  medicine,  always  in  hot  water  in  the  Newspapers, 
irascible,  pugnacious  and  argumentative.  He  embraced  at  one  time 
the  Thompsonian-Lobeha  treatment  for  all  diseases,  and  was  for  this 
threatened  with  expulsion  from  the  list  of  honorary  members  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Medical  Society. 

Dr.  Edward  Jenner  was  his  God.  His  letters  here  first  printed 
throw  new  hght  on  the  introduction  of  vaccination  into  America. 

1  Dr.  John  Warren  (1753-1816)  was  graduated  from  Harvard  in 
1771  and  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  his  brother,  Joseph,  who 
was  killed  at  Bunl^er  Hill.  John  practiced  first  at  Salem,  but  at  the 
opening  of  the  Revolution  was  appointed  Surgeon's  Mate  in  the  Army, 
rose  to  a  full  Surgeoncy,  and  at  one  time  had  sole  charge  of  a  large 
Hospital.  After  the  War,  he  settled  in  Boston  and  became  a  great 
man.  He  was  Professor  of  Surgery  for  twenty  years  in  the  Medical 
School,  and  his  most  famous  operation  was  an  amputation  at  the 
shoulder  joint.  He  did  more  than  any  other  physician  to  cause  the 
removal  of  the  School  to  Boston  as  a  better  field  for  clinical  instruction 
than  at  Cambridge.  Eloquent  as  a  speaker  he  wrote  but  little  on 
medicine.  He  was  famous  for  speed,  and  it  is  said  that  funeral  pro- 
cessions would  open  for  him  on  his  furious  way  to  his  patients.  Dr. 
Warren  was  much  of  a  public  man,  did  considerable  surgery,  had  an 
extensive  practice  and  was  regarded  as  the  best  man  in  Boston. 

2  Dr.  Aaron  Dexter  (1759-1829)  was  graduated  A.B.  from  Harvard 
in  1776,  and  obtained  from  Harvard  an  Honorary  M.D.  in  1786.  He 
was  Ship's  Surgeon  during  the  Revolution  and  was  captured  but  soon 
released.  The  only  paper  of  his  that  I  have  ever  seen  was  "On  the 
Use  of  Blisters  in  Medicine."    He  belonged  to  the  State  Medical 


FAMILY  NOTES  5 

On  a  second  journey  to  Boston,  Spalding  was  accompanied 
by  Ithamar  Chase,  a  brother  of  the  Bishop,  and  on  a  third 
he  bought  chemicals  and  apparatus  for  the  Dartmouth 
School.  Upon  his  return  from  this  last  journey  Dr.  Smith 
took  him  in  to  board  and  lodge  in  his  own  house  in  Hanover. 
The  note  book  which  covers  this  last  tour  to  Boston  men- 
tions boarding  with  Mrs.  Cooper  on  the  corner  of  Wing's 
Lane  and  Brattle  Street,  Boston,  at  $5  a  week,  which  he 
calls  "  Very  Dear,"  whilst  in  May,  1797,  he  hved  "  Hand- 
somely" with  Dr.  Waterhouse  at  Cambridge  for  $4  a  week, 
room  included. 

I  also  own  the  note  books  used  by  Dr.  Spalding  at  the 
Harvard  Medical  School  and  from  them  I  find  that  he  at- 
tended regularly  and  made  abundant  notes  of  lectures,  but 
as  the  information  which  they  contain  has  ceased  to  be  of 
interest,  it  may  be  omitted  here. 

The  important  results  of  the  attendance  at  the  Harvard 
Medical  School  were:  the  best  of  instruction;  and  personal 
acquaintance  with  the  three  Professors. 

The  number  of  students  at  the  Harvard  Medical  School 
being  small,  each  one  had  a  chance  of  personal  acquaintance 
with  the  Professors;  this  intimacy  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Spald- 
ing resulting  in  life-long  friendship  with  these  elder  men. 
When  the  School  advertised  for  pupils.  Dr.  Spalding  at  the 
request  of  Dr.  Waterhouse  inserted  the  Notice  in  the  "  Dart- 
mouth Eagle"  and  it  so  happens  that  in  a  Number  for 
August,  1796  we  read  a  "  Notice  of  a  Fall  Term  of  Lectures" 
containing  this  curious  item: 

"  Students  will  find  the  course  in  the  Harvard  School  most 
desirable,  and  they  can  attend  the  private  practice  of  the 
Professors,  Gratis',  in  Boston,  Cambridge  and  elsewhere." 

"  Curious"  it  is,  for  it  shows  the  earliest  form  of  Clinical 
Instruction  at  Harvard.  Dr.  Spalding  also  wrote  about  the 
Mineralogical  Cabinet  belonging  to  Dr.  Waterhouse,  and  of 
his  Lectures  on  Natural  History  which  then  played  an  im- 
portant part  in  Medical  Teaching. 

Similar  intimacy  with  the  other  Professors  will  be  noted 
as  this  book  proceeds. 

Society,  and  to  many  scientific  societies,  and  taught  the  soUd  founda- 
tions of  chemistry  at  Harvard  for  many  years.  He  was  also  much 
interested  in  agriculture,  and  was  for  a  long  time  President  of  the 
Massachusetts  Agricultural  Society. 


6  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Let  us  now  return  to  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  who  after  ob- 
taining his  degree  received  pupils  in  his  offices  at  Cornish 
and  Windsor,  and  finally  decided  that  a  Medical  School  at 
Dartmouth  should  be  estabhshed.  He  obtained  the  desired 
permission  in  1796,  and  then  having  in  view  a  voyage  to 
Europe,  went  to  Cornish  where  he  intended  to  discuss  his 
plans  with  young  Spalding.  Finding,  however,  that  he  had 
gone  to  Boston,  he  left  with  Colonel  Spalding  the  following 
letter: 

"Cornish,  November  19,  1796.  Dear  Sir:  I  expect  to  set  out 
tomorrow  on  mj^  tour  to  Europe  and  am  not  certain  that  I  shall  go 
by  the  way  of  Boston,  and  therefore  I  write  you  a  few  words  to 
leave  with  your  father.  I  beUeve  it  is  the  wish  of  manj^  people  in 
this  neighborhood,  that  you  would  stay  in  this  town  until  I  return, 
which  I  wish  you  to  do  if  j^ou  thuik  it  will  be  consistent  mth  your 
interests.  I  have  left  a  number  of  accounts  unsettled,  wliich  I 
^\dsh  to  have  appropriated  to  pay  what  I  owe  to  your  father  and 
you.  The  principal  accounts  which  are  not  settled  are  Mr.  Bingham 
of  Lebanon,  Mr.  Braynard,  Mr.  Ward  and  Mr.  Torrey  for  board 
and  instruction.^  I  have  also  a  number  of  Notes,  some  out  and 
others  out  next  Fall  and  Summer,  which  if  I  should  not  return  may 
be  appUed  to  pay  you  and  your  father,  if  those  above  mentioned 
should  fail.  .  .  .  Respecting  my  Voyage,  I  am  not  so  well  pro- 
vided as  I  could  wish,  but  must  put  my  trust  in  God  and  not  in 
filthy  lucre.  I  know  of  a  case  of  Stone  in  the  Bladder.  The 
patient  is  a  boy  of  17,  a  good  patient,  and  the  family  expect  me  to 
operate  as  soon  as  I  return.^  I  have  settled  the  greater  part  of  my 
business  pretty  much  to  my  mind.  Our  business  at  the  College 
increases  very  fast,^  and  I  hope  will  succeed  better  than  we  feared, 
and  I  wish  you  to  attend  to  my  family  if  you  should  stay  in  Cornish, 
and  if  they  should  be  sick.  If  any  dispute  should  arise  about  the 
settlement  of  my  accounts  and  which  I  have  left  with  the  Attornies, 
I  have  directed  them  to  call  on  you,  and  hope  you  will  attend  to  it 
as  you  are  better  acquainted  with  my  business  than  any  other 
man.  .  .  .  Your  friend  and  Servant.  .  .  N.  Smith. 

^  The  creditors  whom  Dr.  Smith  mentions  were  students  who  owed 
him  a  tuition  fee  of  $133  a  year.  Dr.  Torrey  is  probably  Dr.  Augustus 
Torrey  who  obtained  his  medical  degree  at  Dartmouth  in  1801.  The 
others  I  have  failed  to  discover. 

^  The  "ca,se  of  stone"  suggests  that  with  the  fee  he  could  pay  the 
borrowed  money,  but  how  much  he  had  from  the  Spalding  family  I 
have  never  discovered.  It  was  probably  enough  to  pay  his  expenses 
to  Europe  and  return. 

'  "Our  business  at  the  College"  means  that  all  was  going  on  well 
with  the  plans  for  the  new  Medical  School  at  Dartmouth. 


FAMILY  NOTES  7 

P.  S.  The  wart  which  appeared  on  your  mother's  face  before 
you  left  has  not  proved  so  innocent  as  I  could  have  wished.  I 
pulled  off  the  top  of  it,  which  was  killed  by  the  hgature  and  found 
a  matter  that  resembled  the  matter  in  a  strumous  tumor.  I  dipped 
some  lint  in  vitriol  and  appUed  it,  which  removed  the  tumor  level 
with  the  skin,  but  after  a  few  days  it  appeared  to  be  rising  fast 
around  the  edge  of  the  scar.  As  I  could  not  have  an  opportunity 
of  removing  it  with  the  knife,  I  appHed  a  pretty  large  caustic  of 
Lapis  Infernalis,  which  has  destroyed  the  parts  some  distance  be- 
yond where  the  skin  was  affected  with  the  disease,  which  I  think 
will  prove  a  cure.  I  would  wash  the  sore  with  corrosive  sublimate 
until  it  is  healed  up.  .  .  .  N.  S." 

Mrs.  Spalding  being  then  60,  there  was  cause  for  anxiety  lest 
the  growth  should  prove  to  be  malignant,  but  as  she  lived 
many  years  more,  Dr.  Smith  must  have  effected  a  cure. 

Immediately  after  his  arrival  in  Boston,  Dr.  Smith  wrote 
again  to  Spalding,  who  had  returned  to  Cornish. 

"Boston,  Dec.  11,  1796.  Dear  Sir:  I  was  very  sorry  that  I  did 
not  have  an  opportimity  to  see  and  talk  with  you  before  I  set  out 
for  Europe,  but  it  so  happened  that  I  was  obliged  to  go  to  Putney, 
and  there  I  sold  my  horse,  which  obhged  me  to  go  in  the  stage. 
Therefore  I  missed  of  seeing  you.  I  left  a  line  with  your  father  for 
you,  in  which  I  desired  that  you  should  stay  in  Cornish  till  I  re- 
turned. I  have  a  still  greater  reason  now  to  wish  you  to  do  so 
than  when  I  wrote  before,  for  I  conversed  with  your  father  and 
found  that  he  was  very  much  opposed  to  your  going  away  this 
Winter,  and  I  think  that  you  had  better  comply  with  his  request 
than  disoblige  him  if  it  does  not  altogether  accord  with  your  own 
sentiments.  Your  father  is  kind  to  his  children,  and  wishes  you  to  do 
that  which  is  best  for  yourself,  and  if  it  does  not  appear  so  to  you, 
you  had  better  sacrifice  a  few  months  this  Winter  than  offend  him. 

I  am  waiting  for  a  passage  on  the  Bark  "HOPE,"  which  will  sail 
for  Glasgow  in  a  week.  The  information  I  have  received  here  re- 
specting the  success  of  my  project  is  flattering.  Those  gentlemen 
who  have  been  in  England  think  very  encouragingly.  ...  I  am 
your  sincere  friend.  .  .  .  N.  Smith. 

P.  S.  Please  give  my  love  and  respect  to  your  family,  and  all 
who  inquire  after  me." 

About  this  time  also,  Dr,  Spalding  forwarded  to  Dr. 
Smith  by  a  patient  the  news  from  home,  and  to  this  Dr. 
Smith  replied  at  once. 

"Boston,  Dec.  1796.  .  .  .  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your  letter  by 
Mr.  Rosebrook^  who  came  to  Dr.  Warren  with  the  tumor  on  his 

1  Mr.  Rosebrook  was  a  patient  from  Cornish. 


8  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

neck.  Dr.  Warren  has  extirpated  the  tumor,  and  the  sore  looks 
promising  at  present,  but  I  have  my  fears  respecting  the  final  termi- 
nation of  the  case.  I  wrote  the  day  before  I  received  your  letter. 
In  that  I  infoi-med  j^ou  that  I  should  sail  to  Glasgow.  I  am  still 
waiting  but  expect  to  sail  tomorrow.  I  have  obtained  a  number  of 
very  good  letters  from  gentlemen  in  this  town  to  gentlemen  in 
England.  Drs.  Smith  and  Bartlett^  have  given  me  Letters  of 
Credit,  and  through  their  means  I  can  import  such  preparations  of 
the  Human  Body  as  I  shall  want.  I  think  my  prospects  of  success 
are  very  good  at  present.  I  shall  persevere  with  confidence  and 
submit  the  ISSUE  to  God  and  my  own  good  judgment.  I  did  not 
find  Mr.  Dame  here.^  I  wish  you  to  send  at  your  first  opportunity 
to  Orford  and  get  the  money  for  the  S30  Note  which  I  have  against 
Dame,  and  pay  it  to  your  father  for  me.  I  think  Mr.  Dame  has 
not  conducted  like  a  man  of  honesty  or  honor.  I  wish  you  to  do 
what  you  can  toward  settling  of  my  accounts  while  I  am  gone.  I 
am  glad  to  hear  that  you  are  at  my  house,  and  hope  you  have 
enough  business  to  make  you  contented.  I  wish  you  to  inform  my 
family  and  friends  that  they  may  write  me  as  often  as  they  have 
an  opportunity,  and  direct  my  letters  to  Mr.  Robinson's,  Book- 
Seller,^  Pater  Noster  Row,  London,  and  he  will  transmit  them  to 
me.    Your  Ob'd't  Serv't.     N.  Smith." 

From  this  time  on  until  Dr.  Smith's  return  in  the  following 
year,  young  Spalding  carried  on  Dr.  Smith's  practice,  but 
business  being  dull  in  February,  1797,  he  made  a  horseback 
journey  of  300  miles  in  Vermont,  partly  on  business  for 
others  and  partly  in  looking  about  for  a  place  to  settle  in 
practice.  He  went  first  to  Vergennes  and  from  there,  ac- 
companied by  Dr.  Crosby  of  that  town,  he  went  to  Rutland 
where  the  Assembly  was  in  Session,  and  received  from 
Colonel  Sheldon  and  Judge  Marvin,^  commissions  in  other 
parts  of  the  State. 

1  Doctors  Smith  and  Bartlett  were  a  firm  of  Chemists  and  Apothe- 
caries in  Boston. 

^  Mr.  Dame  was  afterward  Dr.  Augustus  Dame. 

3  George  Robinson  (1737-1801),  "The  King  of  Booksellers,"  came 
to  London  about  1760,  made  a  fortune  in  his  business,  took  into  part- 
nership his  son  and  his  brother,  in  succession,  and  died  in  his  house 
over  his  own  book  shop,  where  Dr.  Smith  met  him.  Robinson  gained 
great  publicity  and  a  heavy  fine  at  one  time  for  pubHsliing  Tom  Paine's 
"Age  of  Reason." 

*  Colonel  Sheldon  was  a  famous  politician  of  those  times,  and  Judge 
^La^vin,  formerly  a  physician,  was  now  Judge  of  Probate  and,  later, 
Chief  Justice  of  Vermont. 


FAMILY  NOTES  9 

From  a  Diary  which  Dr.  Spalding  kept,  I  quote  these 
items : 

"Dr.  Pomeroy^  of  Burlington  asked  me  to  breakfast  and  took  me 
to  see  a  case  of  Caries  of  the  Tibia." 

"Burlington:  Meeting  Colonel  B.  Sumner  of  Middlebury  and  his 
son  "BILL,"  a  friend  of  his  and  a  brother,  and  they  desiring  a  cup 
of  cyder,  I  told  them  that  Captain  Gideon  King  had  some,  but  on 
repairing  there  he  was  unwilling  to  let  us  have  any,  but  when  we 
made  ourselves  known,  he  let  us  have  all  we  wanted.  When  we 
offered  to  pay,  he  said  it  was  nothing,  but  that  he  had  just  had  a 
glimpse  of  a  very  fine  Oration  by  Josiah  Dunham, ^  delivered  at 
Hanover  on  St.  John's  Day,  and  it  was  the  greatest  piece  of  oratory 
he  had  ever  seen,  and  that  if  I  would  hand  him  a  copy,  he  would 
call  it  pay  for  the  cyder." 

As  Spalding  continued  on  his  horseback  tour  through 
Vermont,  he  mentions  the  various  physicians  whom  he  met. 
One  he  says  "is  a  Poor  Galenist";  another  ''is  a  good 
physician,  but  too  dirty  for  a  surgeon";  of  a  third  "Very 
capable,  but  too  fond  of  the  cup";  whilst  of  the  last  he  met 
on  his  long  journey  he  says  "There  is  a  man  for  you!  Careful 
and  scientific.  Would  that  I  could  know  about  him  from 
meeting  him  oftener." 

From  an  item  of  Sunday,  March  5,  1797,  we  get  an  idea 
of  the  people  and  of  the  times:  "I  have  not  seen  an  Episco- 
pal Church,  or  indeed  any  sort  of  a  Meeting  House,  since  I 
left  Rutland.  The  people  work  on  Sunday  j  ust  the  same  as 
on  any  other  day.  Indeed  in  some  places  they  do  even  more 
bargaining  on  Sunday  than  on  any  other  day  in  the  week." 

1  Dr.  Pomeroy  was  the  founder  of  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
University  of  Vermont,  some  years  later,  and  must  have  been  glad 
enough  now,  to  get  an  opinion  from  a  scholar  of  Nathan  Smith. 

2  Colonel  Josiah  Dunham,  U.  S.  A.  (1769-1844)  was  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  in  1789,  taught  for  some  years  in  Moore's  Indian  Charity 
School  at  Hanover,  served  in  the  Army  from  1799  and  through  the  War 
of  1812,  and  was  a  Colonel,  by  title,  the  rest  of  his  Ufe.  He  took  part 
in  a  "Dialogue  La  Poetry"  upon  the  day  of  his  graduation,  and  de- 
livered Masonic  and  PoUtical  Orations  on  many  public  occasions  at 
Hanover  and  elsewhere.  He  was  very  active  on  the  University  side 
of  the  College  in  1816-18,  at  the  time  of  the  establishment  of  the 
University  of  Dartmouth  by  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  denouncing 
the  College  Trustees  in  unmeasured  terms.  Later  on,  he  was  Secre- 
tary of  State  for  Vermont,  and  in  his  old  age  removed  to  the  West  and 
died  in  Louisville.  When  stationed  at  Fort  Constitution,  near  Ports- 
mouth, Captain  Dunham  and  his  wife  were  very  intimate  with  the 
Spaldings. 


10  DR,  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Although  he  looked  in  at  every  settlement  along  his  route 
from  Cornish  around  by  Burlington  and  home  another  way, 
Spalding  found  no  promising  chance  for  practice.  All  of  the 
best  \dllages  had  at  least  one  physician,  and  it  was  not  con- 
sidered courteous  to  try  to  rob  a  fellow  practitioner  by  set- 
tling in  his  tovm.  One  doctor  in  a  place  was  then  regarded 
as  enough. 

He  then  resumed  practice  in  Dr.  Smith's  office  until  it 
was  time  to  go  to  Cambridge  to  obtain  his  degree  in  medicine. 
Arriving  in  Boston  about  the  first  of  May,  1797,  he  remained 
there  a  few  weeks,  and  then  boarded  with  Dr.  Waterhouse 
in  Cambridge.  On  the  24th  of  June  he  was  examined  in 
Arithmetic  and  Natural  History  by  the  Academic  Faculty 
of  Harvard,  and  on  Monday,  July  19,  1797,  in  company 
with  his  friend,  Samuel  Brown,^  he  was  examined  for  his 
medical  degree  by  the  President  and  Medical  Faculty. 
During  this  examination  he  defended  his  Thesis  "On  Animal 
Heat,"  which  was  dedicated  to  his  Preceptor,  Dr.  Nathan 
Smith.  A  young  man  of  22,  who  could  advance  the  Theory, 
that  Animal  Heat  depended  on  the  combination  and  de- 
composition of  blood  and  air  in  their  passage  through  the 
lungs,  evidently  had  a  future  before  him.  In  addition  to 
the  degree  of  M.B.,  then  given  to  him.  Dr.  Spalding  was 
later  honored  with  the  degree  of  M.D.  from  Harvard,  and 
with  both  an  M.B.  and  M.D.  from  Dartmouth. 

After  he  had  obtained  his  degree.  Dr.  Spalding  attended 
Commencement  and  listened  to  the  essaj^s  of  his  friends, 
John  Collins  Warren  and  Horace  Binney,  of  whom  we  shall 
hear  later.  He  also,  at  Harvard,  made  the  acquaintance  of 
James  Jackson  and  Mathias  Spalding,  from  whom  we  shall 
read  friendly  letters. 

Dr.  Spalding  then  practiced  in  Cornish  until  the  return 
to  Boston  of  Dr.  Smith,  who  arrived  from  Europe  on  the 
11th  of  September  and  wrote  to  him  that  same  evening. 

"Boston,  September  11,  1797.  Sir:  I  return  you  my  hearty 
thanks  for  the  two  letters  which  I  have  received  from  you  since  I 
left  Cornish.    One  I  received  in  London  and  have  ordered  the 

1  Dr.  Samuel  Brown  (1768-1805)  was  graduated  from  Harvard 
University  in  1793  and  from  the  Medical  School  in  1797,  presenting  a 
Thesis  "On  Bilious  Malignant  Fever."  He  afterwards  practiced  in 
Boston,  and  as  Dr.  Waterhouse  hints  in  a  later  letter,  may  have  been 
"hooted  out  of  town,"  for  he  died  in  Bolton,  Massachusetts. 


FAMILY  NOTES  11 

skeletons  you  desired,*  which  will  be  sent  to  Dr.  Bartlett  of  Boston 
by  the  "Galen,"  Captain  Markee,  and  will  be  here  the  last  of  this 
month.  The  other  I  found  at  Dr.  Bartlett's.  You  may  depend 
it  was  very  grateful  to  me  to  hear  of  the  Welfare  of  my  Family  and 
Friends  after  so  long  absence,  as  I  have  received  no  letters  or  other 
intelligence  from  them  but  yours.  I  am  also  happy  to  learn  from 
Doctors  Warren  and  Dexter  that  you  have  taken  your  Bachelor's 
Degree  at  Cambridge  with  a  good  deal  of  eclat,  and  much  to  your 
Honor  as  well  as  mine.  I  wrote  you  from  Edinburgh,  but  con- 
cluded that  the  letters  were  lost,  as  the  vessel  had  sailed  that  I 
aimed  at  to  write  by  from  Greenwich,  before  the  packet  of  letters 
arrived.  And  I  have  not  heard  of  any  of  my  letters  which  were 
sent  with  it.  I  have  written  to  Mr.  Hedge^  to  send  me  some  money 
as  I  am  in  want  of  some  to  pay  a  part  of  the  expenses  of  my  voyage 
and  freight  for  my  goods  before  I  can  honorably  leave  town.  If 
you  can  do  anything  that  will  forward  the  business,  I  wish  you  to 
assist  Mr.  Hedge.  Please  to  give  my  respects  to  your  Honored 
Parents,  to  your  Family  and  to  all  friends.  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't, 
N.  Smith. 

Dr.  Lyman  Spalding,  as  he  was  now  entitled  to  be  called, 
was  at  this  time  22  years  of  age.  After  a  plain  English 
education  at  Charlestown  Academy,  he  had  attended  two 
courses  of  lectures  at  the  Harvard  Medical  School,  and 
studied  French  with  Tutor  Nancrede^  at  Cambridge. 

1  The  skeleton  remained  in  the  Spalding  family  many  years  and 
my  father  used  to  tell  me  of  trying  to  frighten  boys  in  New  York  by 
holding  it  up  to  the  window  for  them  to  gaze  at,  if  they  chose. 

2  Mr.  Hedge  was  a  lawyer  of  Windsor,  opposite  Cornish,  and  at- 
torney for  Dr.  Smith.     He  met  with  a  tragic  fate. 

3  Paul  Joseph  Nancrede  (1769-1841)  came  from  France  with  Count 
Rochambeau  to  aid  in  the  cause  of  Independence,  and  was  woimded  at 
the  battle  of  Yorktown  whilst  serving  as  a  Lieutenant  of  Infantry. 
He  drifted  gradually  to  Cambridge,  where  he  taught  French,  edited  a 
French  Newspaper  in  Boston,  and  sold  foreign  books.  He  finally 
became  a  publisher,  gained  a  considerable  fortune,  and  left  a  name 
which  still  illuminates  American  Medical  History. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Lectuber  on  Chemistry  and  Materia  Medica  at  the  Dartmouth 
Medical  School  (1797-99) 

It  has  been  many  times  said,  and  said  with  truth,  that  the 
Dartmouth  Medical  School  was  founded  by  Dr.  Nathan 
Smith,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  to  him  alone  belongs 
that  honor.  It  has,  however,  as  many  times  erroneously 
been  stated  that  for  years  he  worked  at  Dartmouth  alone. 
Without  in  the  least  detracting  from  Dr.  Smith's  extraor- 
dinary ability,  some  small  credit  should  be  given  to  Dr. 
Spalding,  the  younger  man  of  the  two,  who  assisted  Dr. 
Smith  for  the  better  part  of  three  years  in  establishing  and 
cariying  on  the  school  to  a  successful  foundation. 

Dr.  Smith's  natural  associate  in  the  task  was,  of  course, 
Dr.  Spalding.  It  is  plain  from  the  previous  letters  that  Dr. 
Smith  looked  for  the  aid  of  his  pupil  as  an  integral  part  of 
his  original  design.  Chemistry  and  Materia  Medica  were  to 
be  taught  by  Dr.  Spalding,  whilst  Dr.  Smith  lectured  on  all 
the  other  branches  of  medicine  and  performed  the  surgical 
operations  which  presented  themselves  to  the  classes.  In 
point  of  fact,  "The  Medical  Repository,"  of  which  we  shall 
hear  much  later  on,  contains  an  advertisement  in  1799, 
Volume  2,  page  339,  in  which  the  "officers  of  the  institution" 
are  named  as  Nathan  Smith  and  Lyman  Spalding. 

The  first  lecture  at  the  Dartmouth  Medical  School  was 
given  by  Dr.  Smith,  Monday,  November  20,  1797.  Al- 
though the  catalogs  show  but  few  graduates  for  several 
years,  yet  old  lists  of  students  contain  the  names  of  as  many 
as  fifty  attending  the  lectures  from  the  first,  some  of  them 
being  from  the  Academical  Department,  whilst  others  were 
physicians  in  actual  practice,  but  who  now  took  vacations, 
in  order  to  learn  medicine  and  surgery  from  books,  and 
lectures. 

The  first  study  in  which  Dr.  Spalding  showed  intense 
interest  was  that  of  chemistry,  and  finding  that  text 
books  on  the  Nomenclature  of  the  materials  needed  for  ex- 
periments  were   obsolete,    he   discovered   one   in   French, 

12 


LECTURER  ON  CHEMISTRY  13 

and  translating  it,  published  it  under  the  title  of  "A  New 
Nomenclature  of  Chemistry  "  based  on  treatises  by  Morveau/ 
Berthollet^  and  Monge.^  This  ''Nomenclature"  was  a 
student's  manual  of  20  pages,  printed  on  rough  brownish 
paper  about  12  inches  by  10  in  size,  the  pages  being  divided 
into  four  columns,  with  the  new  names  of  Chemicals  placed 
opposite  their  former  names.  The  publication  of  this 
trifle  was  well  received,  and  brought  to  the  editor  consider- 
able reputation. 

The  lack  of  books  in  early  American  Medicine  was  often 
compensated  for  by  correspondence  between  physicians.  An 
instance  of  this  I  find  when  Dr.  Spalding  writes  to  his  friend. 
Dr.  Samuel  Brown,  "If  you  would  like  to  establish  a  cor- 
respondence with  a  plain  country  practitioner  I  promise  you 
that  I  shall  not  be  lacking  on  my  part  to  write  you  about  my 
medical  practice."  Books  being  scarce,  nothing  served  bet- 
ter as  a  means  of  education  than  to  report  interesting  cases 
and  their  treatment  to  brother  physicians. 

Dr.  Spalding  was  also  fond  of  writing  to  the  Newspapers 
on   public   health   and   items   of   Natural   History.    Such 

^  Guyton-Morveau  (1737-1816),  Louis  Bernard  by  name,  who  in 
his  youth  was  a  pohtician  and  lawyer,  but  betook  himself  to  Chemistry 
and  became  famous  by  a  new  method  of  Fumigating  against  the  Plague 
which  broke  out  at  Dijon  in  1771.  His  muriatic  Acid  Fumigations 
were  also  highly  thought  of  in  the  West  Indies,  and  in  America  early 
in  the  XlXth  Century. 

Guyton-Morveau  issued  his  "Methode  d'une  Nomenclature  Chemi- 
que"  with  Lavoissier,  Laplace,  Berthollet,  Fourcroy  and  Monge  in 
1787,  and  it  is  probably  this  very  work  which  grandfather  utilized  in  his 
"New  Nomenclature."  Guyton-Morveau  was  famous  as  a  Fire  Bal- 
loonist, very  prominent  in  the  National  Convention,  and  although  he 
voted  for  the  death  of  Louis  XVI,  he  managed  to  pull  through  the 
Revolution  aUve. 

2  Berthollet,  a  collaborator  in  Guyton-Morveau's  work  (1748-1812), 
was  very  intimate  with  Napoleon,  and  a  polemical  writer  of  ability. 
Being  of  a  gouty  temperament,  he  lived  outside  of  Paris,  so  that  in 
walking  to  and  from  his  lectures  in  the  city  he  might  cure  his  bodily 
tendencies.     Of  his  chemical  writings  but  httle  has  survived. 

3  Gaspard  Monge  (1746-1818)  was  Napoleon's  right-hand  man  as  a 
Military  Engineer.  Many  anecdotes  concerning  their  intimacy  can 
be  found  in  the  Biographical  Dictionaries.  Once  when  Monge  had 
asked  from  the  Emperor  some  money  to  aid  Berthollet  in  his  experi- 
ments. Napoleon  sent  Monge  quadruple  the  money  asked  for  and 
added  in  his  handwriting,  "Half  for  Berthollet  and  half  for  you." 
Monge  probably  did  nothing  more  to  the  work  which  Dr.  Spalding 
translated  and  edited  than  to  revise  the  text. 


14  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

essays  were  common  in  those  days  and  not  regarded  as  ad- 
vertisements. It  was  an  outlet  for  an  active  physician's 
thoughts.  The  pendulum  has  now  swung  to  the  other  ex- 
treme. Patients  by  the  thousand  can  be  "advertised"  as 
undergoing  operations  in  one  physician's  Private  Hospital, 
but  it  is  unethical  to  say  a  single  word  about  patients  oper- 
ated upon  in  another  physician's  "office." 

Amongst  various  papers  thus  issued  by  Dr.  Spalding,  I 
find  one  "  On  Resuscitation  of  the  Apparently  Drowned," 
and  another  "  On  the  Lassitude  of  Spring,"  in  which  he 
argued  that  this  condition  is  due  to  diminished  oxygen  in 
the  air. 

Another  was  a  Review  of  "The  Life  and  Adventures  of 
Stephen  Burroughs"  printed  by  Benjamin  True  at  Hanover 
in  1791,  and  now  much  sought  after  by  bibhophiles.  Of 
this  curious  book,  exhibiting  the  writer  as  a  swindler,  idler, 
rowdy,  counterfeiter  and  thief  and  fond  of  whipping  young 
girls,  robbing  his  friends  and  boasting  of  his  conquests  over 
women,  Dr.  Spalding  wrote  an  amusing  critique,  for  some 
small  sum  as  a  support  for  his  expenses  of  living. 

Three  important  events  occurring  at  Dartmouth  during 
Dr.  Spalding's  Lectureship  of  Chemistiy  and  Materia 
Medica  were :  the  beginning  of  a  life  long  friendship  with  Dr. 
Samuel  Latham  Mitchill,  a  renewal  of  correspondence  with 
Dr.  Waterhouse,  and  a  difficulty  with  Dr.  Daniel  Adams. 

Dr.  Mitchill  (1764-1831)  was  one  of  the  most  able  and 
versatile  men  that  the  Nation  has  ever  produced,  for  he 
enriched  the  world  with  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine  dis- 
tinctly new  ideas.  He  was  born  on  Long  Island,  obtained 
his  medical  degree  at  Edinburgh,  and  was,  in  turn.  Professor 
of  Botany  at  Columbia,  of  Natural  History  in  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  a  Physician  to  the  New  York 
Hospital,  Vice-President  of  Rutgers,  Member  of  Congress, 
Commissioner  to  the  Iroquois  Indians  and  United  States 
Senator  from  New  York.  He  was  a  friend  of  the  Indian 
Chieftain  Tammany,  and  from  him  we  have  Tammany  Hall 
of  today.  Dr.  Mitchill  learned  the  Indian  Language,  and 
translated  Indian  Songs  into  English.  He  lectured  on 
Public  Health,  and  on  Chemistry  and  Natural  History,  de- 
livered addresses  in  their  symbols  to  deaf  mutes,  made  the 
first  Mineralogical  Survey  of  New  York  State,  wrote  on  fish 
and  on  earthquakes,  and  a  "Life  of  Thomas  Emmett." 


LECTURER  ON  CHEMISTRY  15 

His  memory  was  wonderful  and  as  a  public  speaker  he  was 
famous.  In  medical  history,  Dr.  Mitchill  will  long  be  re- 
membered as  the  originator  of  "  The  Medical  Repository," 
a  magazine  of  great  value  to  physicians  of  that  era. 

Dr.  Mitchill  is  also  well  known  in  the  Poetical  History  of 
America,  and  we  find  many  allusions  to  him  in  the  works  of 
Dr.  Drake,  who  wrote  "When  Freedom  From  Her  Moun- 
tain Heights"  and  of  Halleck,  whose  ''Marco  Bozzaris"  is 
perennial.  Drake  and  Halleck^  wrote  a  set  of  poems,  by 
"  The  Croakers,"  as  they  styled  themselves,  and  in  this  we 
find  many  "  HITS"  on  Dr.  Mitchill.  One  of  these  poems  is 
dedicated  ''To  the  Surgeon  General  of  the  State"  (Dr. 
Mitchill)  with  the  Motto:  "Why,  Tom,  he  knows  Every- 
thing," and  in  it  he  is  called  "Lord  of  Flints,"  suggesting 
Mineralogy,  "  Friend  of  the  Fish,"  alluding  to  his  artificial 
Fish  Ponds  at  his  country-seat,  "Plandome,"  on  Long 
Island,  and  "Steam  Frigate  on  the  Waves  of  Physic"  to  re- 
call his  generous  aid  to  Robert  Fulton. 

1  Dr.  Joseph  Rodman  Drake  (1795-1820),  bom  in  poverty  and  the 
eldest  of  a  family  of  five  children,  wrote  verses  as  a  mere  child  and  as 
he  grew  to  manhood  was  considered  the  Finest  Gentleman  in  New 
York.  He  was  taken  up  as  a  general  favorite  by  everybody  of  dis- 
tinction, studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Romayne,  and  then  in  Europe, 
but  he  had  hardly  made  a  beginning  in  practice  in  New  York,  when  he 
was  carried  off  by  tuberculosis.  His  "Culprit  Fay"  was  the  rage  and 
it  was  as  a  Threnody  of  Dr.  Drake  that  Halleck  wrote  those  verses 
beginning:   "Green  be  the  Turf  above  Thee." 

Fitz  Greene  Halleck  (1790-1867)  is  another  name  famous  in  Ameri- 
can Poetry.  He  was  at  first  a  bookkeeper,  then  a  school  teacher, 
finally  he  became  the  Proteg^  of  John  Jacob  Astor  and  was  much  re- 
nowned for  his  poem,  "Fanny,"  which  had  an  enormous  success. 

With  both  of  these  poets  Dr.  Spalding  was  to  meet  on  most  friendly 
terms  at  the  homes  of  Dr.  Mitchill  and  of  Dr.  Hosack. 

Dr.  Nicholas  Romayne  (1756-1817),  the  instructor  of  Dr.  Drake, 
and  also  an  intimate  friend  of  my  grandfather,  may  be  mentioned  here. 

He  studied  medicine  at  home  and  abroad,  and  enjoyed  an  excellent 
practice  in  New  York.  He  was  the  first  President  of  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  and  his  Inaugm'al  was  "an  honorable  speci- 
men of  his  diversified  talents."  He  became  entangled  in  Blount's 
Conspiracy  (1797)  to  drive  the  Spanish  out  of  Louisiana,  but  although 
imprisoned  for  his  share  in  that  offense,  he  was  never  considered  as 
dishonored.  Bulky  of  bone  and  immense  in  adipose  tissue,  Dr.  Ro- 
mayne nevertheless  skipped  about  with  amazing  nimbleness.  Ab- 
stemious in  drink,  he  was  an  enormous  eater,  without,  however,  ever 
impairing  his  mental  ability.  Clever,  versatile,  learned  and  facile 
with  his  tongue  and  pen,  he  was  the  model  of  an  energetic,  ambitious 
and  unwearied  practitioner  of  medicine. 


16  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

The  last  verse  of  this  Poem  reads: 

"  It  matters  not  how  low  or  high  it  is, 
Thou  know'st  each  Hill  and  Vale  of  Knowledge; 
Fellow  of  Forty  Nine  Societies, 
And  Lecturer  in  Hosack's  College." 

With  this  very  celebrated  man  Dr.  Spalding  was  now  to 
begin  a  correspondence,  and  through  him  was  to  be  intro- 
duced to  a  wide  circle  of  friends  in  New  York  City.  Amongst 
them  it  is  pleasant  for  his  descendants  to  know  that  he  was 
to  meet  the  two  poets  whose  verses  we  have  just  mentioned. 

Dr.  Spalding's  first  letter  to  Dr.  Mitchill,  a  copy  of  which 
has  come  down  to  me,  is  laconic,  but  shows  his  early  interest 
in  literature. 

"Hanover,  N.  H.  February  1,  1798.  Sir:  Not  long  since  I  saw 
an  advertisement  of  yours  in  a  paper  from  your  city,  respecting 
the  publication  of  a  Volume,  yearly,  to  contain  Medical  Facts  and 
News.  It  was  mentioned  that  subscription  papers  would  be  sent 
to  different  parts  of  these  United  States.  I  have  impatiently 
waited  to  hear  farther  from  your  intended  publication  but  have 
not.  Situated  so  far  in  the  country  as  we  are,  it  may  be  that  the 
publication  is  going  on,  or  at  least,  that  subscription  papers  have 
been  issued.  If  this  should  be  the  case,  please  give  me  information 
and  send  a  few  papers  into  this  part  of  the  World,  and  all  that  can 
be  done  here  shall  be  done,  cheerfully,  in  support  of  the  pubUcation, 
which  I  am  confident  will  succeed  if  attempted.  Your  Ob'd't 
Serv't,  Lyman  Spalding. 

P.  S.  Enclosed  I  send  you  a  Dissertation,  and  in  return  I  wish 
you  to  send  me  a  publication  of  yours  on  'Azote.' "  ^ 

Writing  from  Albany,  New  York,  on  the  28th  of  March, 
Dr.  Mitchill  rephed  as  follows: 

"Dear  Sir:  Your  letter  from  Dartmouth  was  forwarded  to  me 
at  this  place,  from  New  York.  How  long  it  lay  at  my  house  be- 
fore it  was  sent  on  to  me,  I  know  not.  Probably  a  week  or  two, 
or  else  I  might  have  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  it  sooner.  I  have 
been  in  this  place,  which  is  now  the  seat  of  our  State  Government, 
since  last  December  in  attendance  upon  the  Assembly,  as  one  of 
the  Members  from  the  City  of  New  York.  Thither  I  expect  to 
return  in  about  three  weeks,  when  adjourmnent  will  take  place. 

^  "The  Dissertation"  was  a  copy  of  Spalding's  Graduating  Thesis 
"On  Animal  Heat."  "Azote"  was  the  fashionable  Germ-Killer  of 
the  day. 


LECTURER  ON  CHEMISTRY  17 

There  is  such  a  publication  as  you  allude  to,  announcing  an  in- 
tended medical  work  to  be  published  in  quarterly  numbers.  After 
issuing  the  Prospectus,  the  Editors,  Dr.  Smith,^  Dr.  Miller  ^  and 
myself,  according  to  their  promise  proceeded  in  making  up  and 
sending  forth  the  collection  of  pieces.  The  work  is  called  "The 
Medical  Repository"  and  three  numbers  are  pubUshed  and  ready 
for  dehvery  to  subscribers.  It  gives  me  pleasure  to  find  that  you 
are  curious  to  see  the  performance.  It  is  to  be  had  of  the  Messrs. 
Swords,^  the  pubKshers  of  "The  New  York  Magazine."  I  am  also 
pleased  to  learn  of  your  wilhngness  to  procure  subscribers.  I  have 
no  subscription  papers  with  me  here,  but  can  inform  you  that  the 
first  number  costs  One  Dollar,  and  subsequent  numbers,  half  a 
dollar  to  subscribers.  And,  as  four  numbers  come  out  in  a  year, 
the  four  when  bound  will  make  a  handsome  and  large  octavo  vol- 
ume of  more  than  four  hundred  pages.  As  the  "Repository"  de- 
pends wholly  upon  the  support  of  the  subscribers,  every  sub- 
scriber that  you  procure  will  add  materially  to  the  encom-agement 
and  ultimately,  success  of  it.  The  pubhcation  embraces  a  wide 
field  of  Science  and  Speculation,  not  being  confined  merely  to 
Medicine,  but  extending  to  Natural  History,  Agriculture,  and  all 
the  kindred  subjects  of  Knowledge.  It  exhibits  also,  a  summary 
of  foreign  and  domestic  news  on  those  subjects  and  a  Review  of 
American  PubUcations. 

1  Dr.  EUhu  Hubbard  Smith  (1771-1798)  was  Co-Editor  of  the 
"Repository";  born  in  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  the  son  of  Dr.  Reuben 
Smith,  he  was  graduated  from  Yale,  studied  medicine  with  his  father 
and  in  Philadelphia,  settled  in  New  York  and  although  djring  in  a  day, 
as  it  were,  from  Yellow  Fever,  he  has  come  down  to  us  as  the  Medical 
Hero  of  his  time.  He  was  a  remarkable  conversationaUst,  a  medical 
writer  of  much  promise,  a  composer  of  music,  the  writer  of  an  Opera 
Libretto,  and  the  author  of  a  Tragedy,  entitled,  "Andr^."  At  the 
age  of  25  he  was  a  physician  to  the  New  York  Hospital,  and  in  his 
brief  life  explored  mediciae  more  deeply  than  most  physicians  after 
years  of  practice. 

2  Dr.  Edward  Miller  (1760-1812),  another  editor  of  the  "Reposi- 
tory," and  whose  death  influenced  the  removal  of  Dr.  Spalding  to  New 
York,  went  out  during  the  Revolution  as  Surgeon's  Mate  on  a  Priva- 
teer, studied  in  Paris  and  returning  obtained  his  degree  in  Philadelphia. 
He  practiced  in  Maryland  and  in  Dover,  Delaware,  and  dehvered  before 
the  Delaware  Medical  Society  its  first  Oration.  He  removed  to  New 
York  in  1796,  and  soon  obtained  a  high  position  in  medicine.  He  was 
a  profxise  letter  writer,  carrying  an  extensive  correspondence  at  home 
and  abroad.  He  died  suddenly,  leaving  the  memory  of  a  superior 
man  in  medicine,  and  his  works  in  two  volumes  were  issued  after  his 
death. 

3  "The  Messrs.  Swords"  were  descendants  of  Lieutenant  Swords, 
who  came  from  England  in  1759.  The  family  is  still  represented  in 
New  York. 


18  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

I  thank  you  for  your  Graduating  Thesis.  I  also  consider  j^our 
Report  ^  as  a  mark  of  politeness,  and  in  return  for  it,  I  would  gladly 
send  you  the  publication  you  write  for,  but  it  has  long  been  out  of 
print,  and  I  have  been  too  much  engaged  in  other  pursuits  to  give 
out  a  second  edition  of  it.    Your  Ob'd't  Sers^'t,  S.  L.  Mitchill." 

"  The  Repositorj-"  arrived  in  due  season,  and  in  May  I 
find  another  letter  to  Dr.  ]Mitch.ill. 

"Hanover,  May  20,  1798.  Dear  Sir:  I  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  four  numbers  of  "The  Repository*"'  together  with  a  note  from 
Dr.  E.  H.  Smith,  who  desires  to  be  favored  with  such  facts  as  may 
present  themselves  relative  to  Canine  Aladness,  and  an  authentic 
accoimt  of  the  disea,se  said  to  have  prevailed  at  Hanover  amongst 
the  Geese. 

To  the  First,  I  would  observe  that  there  has  not  been  a  case  of 
Canine  uSIadness  within  the  circle  of  my  particular  acquaintance 
since  I  have  been  engaged  in  medical  pursuits.  As  to  the  Last,  I 
suppose  that  the  gentlemen  has  seen  the  Papers,  or  an  extract  from 
the  paper  published  in  this  place,  which  contained  such  a  hint.  I 
would  inform  him  that  it  has  a  ludicrous  Editor,  and  that  the 
fatahtj'  was  wholly  confined  to  the  College  Yard,  whose  pump- 
trough  the  geese  frequented.  The  mortaht}^  may  be  attributed  to 
fractured  skulls  by  the  bloodees  (hea^y  canes)  of  the  scholars. 

"With  my  name  as  a  subscriber,  jon  wiU  be  pleased  to  place 
Roswell  Lea^-itt,  Physician  at  Peacham,  Vermont,  and  Ebenezer 
Knowlton,-  Hanover,  a  ^Mechanic,  to  jova  hst  of  subscribers.  jMt. 
Woodward '  the  bearer,  will  pay  ^-ou  four  dollars  for  these  two 
gentlemen,  for  which  you  will  send  them  the  numbers  already 
published. 

I  send  j'ou  a  "Treatise"  by  Dr.  Allen,^  I  forbear  giving  you  my 
opinion  of  the  merits  of  the  work,  as  you  have  the  same  data,  and 
a  better  capabUitj^  of  judging  than  I  have.  Sir,  with  sentiments 
of  esteem,  I  am,  Yours,  etc.,  LxMAjf  Spaldikg." 

^" Your  report"  was  a  paper  on  an  Epidemic  of  Malignant  Fever 
from  which  Dr.  Spalding  personally  suffered  at  Hanover,  and  which 
he  read  before  a  local  Medical  Society  founded  bj'^  himself  at  Dart- 
mouth, and  later,  printed  in  the  'Repository.' 

^  "Ebenezer  Knowlton,"  a  Hanoverian,  was  very  prominent  in 
church  matters  during  the  disputes  between  the  Villagers  and  the 
CoUege  concerning  the  status  of  the  Church  at  Hanover. 

»  "Mr.  Woodward"  was  William  Woodward,  who  acted  as  Attorney 
for  Dr.  Spalding  at  various  times,  and  of  whom  we  shall  hear  later 
on. 

*  "Dr.  Jonathan  Allen"  lived  in  Roj'alton,  Vermont,  but  I  have 
failed  to  discover  the  title  of  his  essay.  He  lectured,  later  on,  at  the 
Caetleton,  Vermont,  Medical  School. 


LECTURER  ON  CHEMISTRY  19 

Another  letter  in  the  correspondence  with  Dr.  Mit  chill 
may  be  inserted  here,  although  written  when  Dr.  Spalding 
was  practising  at  Walpole  in  1799. 

"Dear  Sir:  Since  I  wrote  you,  we  have  had  many  instances  of 
Canine  Madness,  but  I  can  make  no  observations  of  any  cases  in 
MAN,  as  the  disease  has  been  wholly  confined  to  the  dumb  beasts, 
as  dogs  and  hogs  cattle  and  horses.  These  animals  are  always  de- 
stroyed as  soon  as  certain  e\ddence  has  been  obtained  of  their 
being  affected.  The  disease  has  been  seen  in  several  adjoining 
towns.  Any  farther  particulars  which  I  shall  be  able  to  communi- 
cate shall  be  forwarded  cheerfully,  if  requested. 

Enclosed  is  my  paper  on  "Bilious  Remittent  Fever,"  of  which 
you  are  at  hberty  to  make  use  of  in  part  or  TOTO  as  pleases  you. 
Also  a  Two  Dollar  Bill;  the  one-half  of  which  is  to  complete  the 
payment  of  Dr.  Stern's^  subscription  for  "The  Repository"  and 
the  other  parts  3  and  4  for  Dr.  Smith,  he  having  subscribed.  You 
wiU  in  future  send  mine  to  Walpole.  If  any  number  has  gone  to 
Hanover  for  me.  Dr.  Smith  will  receive  it.  In  concluding,  I  wish 
you  to  give  me  a  particular  statement  of  the  TREATMENT  of  the 
BiHous  Fever  in  your  City.    I  am  yours,  etc.,  L.  S." 

After  Dr.  Spalding  had  practiced  a  few  months  at  Walpole, 
and  then  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  he  dehvered  an- 
other course  of  Chemical  Lectures  at  Hanover  and  from 
there  sent  this  brief  note  to  Dr.  Mitchill. 

"Hanover,  October  18,  1799.  Dear  Sir:  I  contemplate  spending 
a  few  weeks  in  New  York  the  present  Autumn,  or  ensuing  Winter, 
and  should  be  much  gratified  in  attending  your  Chemical  Lectm-es. 
Therefore,  I  wish  you  to  write  me  a  short  account  of  them;  as 
when  they  commence,  and  how  long  continue.  I  enclose  you  $2 
in  advance  for  "The  Repository,"  which  kindly  place  to  the  balance 
of  my  subscription.    With  Esteem,  Lyman  Spalding. 

P.  S.  Please  write  by  the  next  mail  so  that  I  may  make  my 
arrangements  accordingly." 

Dr.  MitcMU's  reply  is  valuable  to  our  Medical  History. 

"New  York,  Oct.  31,  1799.  Dear  Sir:  I  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  favor  with  the  $2  in  New  Hampshire  Bank  Paper  which  it 
contains  as  subscription  money  for  the  "Repository."  My  Course 
of  Chemistry  will  commence  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  November, 
and  will  continue  to  the  first  of  March.    The  lectures  will  be  given 

^  Dr.  Thomas  Stem  practiced  at  Amherst,  New  Hampshire,  as  a 
Licentiate  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society,  Harvard  gave  him 
an  honorary  degree  of  M.D.,  in  1812  and  he  survived  until  1854. 


20  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

five  times  a  week,  and  one  hour  at  a  time.  I  should  consider  myself 
honoured  by  ha\dng  Dr.  Spalding  for  one  of  my  hearers.  I  am 
persuaded  that  the  passing  of  twelve  to  fourteen  weeks  in  New 
York  diiring  the  ensuing  session  will  be  a  matter  of  no  regret  to 
you.  Dr.  Rodgers  ^  will  also  give  CUnical  Lectures  at  the  same  time 
on  Select  Cases  in  the  New  York  Hospital. 

There  is  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  relative  to  the  practice  of 
Ph^^sick  and  Surgery,  but  it  is  a  poor  stupid  thing,  and  I  beUeve 
few  pay  any  attention  to  it.  I  have  it  not  by  me,  or  I  would  give 
you  an  abstract.  However,  I  can  inform  you,  that  the  quaUfica- 
tion  to  practice  in  the  State,  and  of  course  in  the  City,  is  very  easy; 
Two  years  previous  study  with  any  practitioner  and  no  examina- 
tion required.  If  a  person  has  been  a  student  the  requisite  time, 
he  will  get  a  certificate  from  his  master,  and  file  it  in  the  office  of 
the  County  Clerk,  and  then  he  is  a  Practitioner.  I  am  not,  how- 
ever, sure,  that  I  am  correct  in  my  account  of  it,  but  this  I  know: 
that  when  I  last  attended  the  Legislature,  I  endeavored  to  obtain 
the  repeal  of  a  Statute  which  seemed  to  me  ridiculous,  and  dis- 
graceful to  the  Profession,  but  I  did  not  succeed. 

To  avoid  the  pestilential  air,  (Yellow  Fever)  I  withdrew  from 
the  City  in  August  to  my  farm  on  Long  Island,  and  returned  but 
the  day  before  yesterday.  It  seems  healthy  now,  and  business 
grows  brisker.  The  necessity  that  the  Pubhshers  also  were  under 
of  leaving  the  City,  has  retarded  the  present  number  of  "The 
Repository,"  but  the  materials  are  compiled,  and  they  are  now 
going  on  as  rapidly  as  they  can.  Come  and  abide  a  few  months 
in  New  York.    Your  Ob'd't  Serv't,  S.  L.  Mitchill." 

From  Dr.  Spalding's  inquiry  concerning  the  laws  for 
practice  in  New  York,  as  suggested  in  Dr.  MitchiU's  reply, 
he  may  even  then  have  been  planning  to  settle  in  that  city. 
He  was,  however,  unfortunately  unable  to  visit  Dr.  Mitchill 
and  wrote  to  that  effect : 

"Porstmouth,  November  30,  1799,  Dear  Sir:  It  is  with  regret 
that  I  inform  you  that  I  cannot  spend  a  few  weeks  in  New  York 
as  I  had  before  proposed.  I  have  taken  a  Stand  for  the  practice  of 
the  healing  art  in  this  place,  and  my  presence  here  is  absolutely 

1  John  Bayard  Richardson  Rodgers  (1757-1833)  was  a  Surgeon  on 
Washington's  Staff  during  part  of  the  Revolution.  After  obtaining  a 
degree  at  Edinburgh,  in  1786  he  settled  in  New  York,  was  a  Professor 
of  Obstetrics  at  Columbia,  Port  Physician  for  many  years,  and  Grand 
Sachem  of  Tammany,  which  met  in  those  days  in  what  was  called  by 
its  deriders,  "The  Pig  Pen,"  a  hall  in  the  lower  part  of  the  City.  Dr. 
Rodgers  stood  very  high  in  medical  and  political  circles  and  was,  during 
his  career,  President  both  of  the  County  and  of  the  State  Medical 
Societies. 


LECTURER  ON  CHEMISTRY  21 

required.  However,  I  still  cherish  the  idea  of  attending  your 
Chemical  Lectures  at  some  future  day. 

At  the  Commencement  held  at  Dartmouth  on  the  28th  day  of 
August,  the  degree  of  M.D.  was  conferred  on  Nathan  Noyes,^ 
Newbury;  Dissertation  "On  Febrile  Heart,"  Daniel  Adams,^ 
Townsend,  Massachusetts;  Dissertation,  "Principles  of  Anima- 
tion" and  Abraham  Hedge,^  Woodstock,  Vermont,  "Medicinal  Uses 
of  Water."  It  is  the  law  of  the  College  that  every  dissertation 
shall  be  published  within  six  months  after  delivery.  If  you  will  be 
so  polite  as  to  furnish  me  with  a  copy  of  those  delivered  at  Columbia, 
I  will  enclose  those  of  Dartmouth  to  you,  when  printed. 

Enclosed  I  send  you  a  Nomenclature  and  a  Dissertation.  The 
former  was  pubUshed  under  many  disadvantages.  That  the  Gable 
of  Chemical  Nomenclature  is  founded  on  just  principles  is  more 
than  I  can  vouch  for,  and  still  I  have  no  other  voucher  than  myself. 
This  arrangement  has  struck  me  very  agreeably.  I  have  there- 
fore introduced  it  into  the  School. 

You  will  direct  my  Repositories  to  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire. 
In  the  next  one  I  wish  you  to  send  an  abstract  of  Dr.  Smith's  and 
my  own  account,  respecting  the  "Repository."  Your  friend,  L. 
Spalding." 

As  we  have  already  seen,  Dr.  Waterhouse  of  Cambridge 
took  a  great  fancy  to  Young  Spalding,  boarded  him  in  his 
own  mansion,  and  had  financial  dealings  with  him. 

1  Nathan  Noyes  (1777-1842)  was  bom  at  Newbury,  Massachusetts, 
and  was  graduated  A.B.  at  Dartmouth  in  1796.  He  then  attended  the 
Medical  School  and  later  settled  in  his  native  town.  He  lectured  on 
Theory  and  Practice  at  Dartmouth  in  1813,  and  finally  removed  to 
Charlestown,  Massachusetts.  His  letters  show  him  industrious  and 
ingenious  as  a  physician. 

2  Daniel  Adams  (1773-1864)  was  graduated  academically  from 
Dartmouth  in  1797,  medically  in  1799,  practiced  first  in  Leominster, 
Massachusetts,  and  later  on  in  Mount  Vernon  and  Keene,  New  Hamp- 
shire, where  he  was  an  active  member  of  the  State  Medical  Society. 
He  taught  in  the  pubUc  schools,  and  was  the  author  of  very  valuable 
books  on  Arithmetic  and  Geography  which  ran  through  frequent  edi- 
tions, and  are  now  much  sought  after  by  bibliophiles  in  mathematics 
and  geography.  Dr.  Adams  also  issued  in  1806  an  interesting  maga- 
zine entitled  "The  Medical  and  Agricultural  Register,"  replete  with 
instructive  papers  bearing  upon  these  topics  of  value  to  the  people  and 
to  the  Profession. 

3  Abraham  Hedge  came  originally  from  Windsor,  Vermont,  then 
opened  a  Drug  Shop  in  Woodstock  and  later  on,  when  studying  medi- 
cine at  Hanover,  carried  his  drugs  and  his  business  to  that  town,  and 
in  that  way  earned  his  lecture  fees  and  board.  He  settled  in  Chester, 
Vermont,  as  we  shall  soon  discover,  and  after  long  sufferings  from 
tuberculosis,  died  at  Chelsea,  Vermont,  in  1808.  He  was  a  clever  man, 
as  his  letters  show. 


22  LR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

The  following  letter  from  Dr.  Waterhouse  to  Dr.  Spalding, 
then  at  Hanover,  offers  personal  touches  of  value: 

"Cambridge,  October  5,  1797.  Dear  Sir:  Mr.  Hedge  *  has  just 
called  on  me  with  the  note  I  gave,  and  I  am  sorry  that  from  my 
paying  away  considerable  last  week,  it  has  exhausted  me,  and  my 
period  of  receiving  cash  does  not  arrive  till  December.  I  under- 
stood we  spoke  of  Winter,  for  the  payment,  although  this  time  or 
any  other  would  have  been  agreeable  had  I  not  been  run  out.  Re- 
specting the  saddle,^  it  just  suits  Master  Andrew,^  and  on  that 
account  I  should  like  to  take  it.  I  consulted  a  person  who  judged 
it  to  be  worth  five  dollars.  As  to  the  bridle,  it  would  be  difficult 
to  put  a  price  on  it,  as  it  is  so  totally  worn  out.  I  was  glad  to  find 
from  your  letter  that  you  were  happy  among  your  friends.  Mrs. 
Waterhouse  and  all  the  rest  of  them  join  in  kind  remembrances  to 
you.  Daniel  still  talks  of  "Beauty"  Spalding,  but  Mr.  Hedge  is 
waiting  for  tliis  and  is  in  haste  to  be  gone.  Your  friend,  Benjamin 
Waterhouse." 

Some  months  later,  Dr.  Spalding  sent  pamphlets  to  Dr. 
Waterhouse  and  with  them  this  brief  letter. 

"Hanover,  July  12,  1798.  Dear  Sir:  Some  time  since  I  sent  you 
a  paper  of  mine  "On  Fever"  and  immediately  after  their  printing, 
I  directed  the  printer  to  send  a  number  to  your  care,  but  through 
neglect  he  kept  them  all  on  hand.  I  now  send  you  by  Mr.  Spar- 
hawk^  three  for  your  own  use  and  one  I  wish  you  to  present  to  the 
President  of  Harvard  and  another  to  the  Library  for  the  use  of  the 
students.  Mr.  Dunham  delivered  a  very  Federal  Oration  on  July 
4th.  It  is  in  the  press  and  as  soon  as  it  is  out  I  will  send  you  a 
copy.    Your  Ob'd't  Serv't,  Lyman  Spalding. 

P.  S.  We  have  just  completed  our  Second  Course  of  Medical 
Lectures.  I  have  been  frequently  called  to  add  my  poor  moiety 
by  composing  and  reading  lectures  when  Dr.  Smith  was  absent  on 
Practice,  and  even  when  he  was  present.  The  future  prospects  are 
good,  but  what  the  circle  without  ends  may  roll  up,  is  at  present 
an  Arcana.    My  best  wishes  to  all  your  family.    L.  S." 

1  Mr.  Hedge  was  Abraham,  just  mentioned,  and  from  a  later  letter 
we  shall  learn  that  the  two  men  had  it  hot  and  heavy  about  this  note, 
and  also  be  glad  to  know  that  it  was  ultimately  paid. 

2  The  saddle  had  been  left  at  Cambridge  when  graduating. 

'  Masters  Andrew  and  Daniel  were  probably  children  of  Dr.  Water- 
house. 

*  "Mr.  Sparhawk"  was  John  Steams  Sparhawk  (1778-1799)  of 
Roxbury,  who  was  graduated  from  Dartmouth  in  1796  and  was  at  this 
time  a  medical  student  at  Dartmouth.  He  died  early,  from  tubercu- 
losis. 


LECTURER  ON  CHEMISTRY  23 

From  the  context  of  the  next  letter  from  Dr.  Waterhouse 
it  would  seem  that  there  had  been  more  trouble  about  the 
note. 

"Cambridge,  August  12,  1798.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  a  line  from 
you  last  week,  and  in  consequence  of  it,  called  on  Mr.  Cooper.^ 
There  seems  to  have  been  a  misunderstanding,  and  I  suspect  that 
I  myself  have  made  the  blunder.  I  had  been  expecting  to  hear 
from  you  respecting  that  note,  and  wondered  when  you  wrote  to 
me  that  you  mentioned  nothing  of  it.  A  Uttle  before  I  received 
your  letter,  I  met  with  Mr.  Cooper,  who  told  me  that  he  had  the 
note,  and  that  he  thought  I  knew  it.  As  the  matter  is  now  per- 
fectly understood,  you  need  give  yourself  no  farther  thought  about 
it,  as  I  will  see  that  it  is  taken  up  almost  inunediately. 

Dr.  Chase,^  I  am  told,  has  quitted  Baltimore  and  gone  farther 
South.  You  may  possibly  hear  terrible  accounts  of  the  Yellow 
Fever  in  Boston,  but  you  must  not  beUeve  one-quarter  of  it.  A 
few  violent  cases  have  given  rise  to  this  unreasonable  alarm.  Your 
Ob'd't  Serv't,  B.  Waterhouse." 

The  third  important  episode  in  the  life  of  Dr.  Spalding  at 
Hanover  was  his  disagreement  with  Dr.  Daniel  Adams,  who 
on  his  way  to  Hanover  in  the  Spring  of  1799  called  on  Dr. 
Spalding,  then  at  Walpole.  Soon  afterward  he  wrote  from 
Hanover  to  this  effect : 

"March  8,  1799.  Dear  Sir:  I  lately  received  the  favor  of  your 
letter.  I  was  not  in  town,  however,  when  Mr.  Bellows  ^  came  on 
the  Plain*  bringing  your  letter.  When  I  returned.  General  Brew- 
ster^ said  that  Mr.  Bellows  had  gone.    I  got  the  glass  from  the 

1  "Mr.  Cooper"  was  the  landlord  in  Wing's  Lane  where  Dr.  Spald- 
ing boarded  in  Boston. 

2  Dr.  Chase  was  Dr.  Heber  Chase  of  Cornish  (1769-1798)  who 
was  graduated  at  Dartmouth,  Academically,  in  1791,  and  obtained 
his  medical  degree  at  Harvard  in  1794.  This  letter  shows  that  he 
had  practiced  in  Baltimore  but  then  went  out  as  a  Ship's  Surgeon 
"father  South,"  which  we  find  to  be  as  far  as  Demerara,  where  he 
died.  The  Dartmouth  Catalog  gives  the  date  of  his  death  as  1797, 
but  from  the  letter  of  Dr.  Waterhouse,  this  date  should  be  changed 
for  1798. 

3  Mr.  Bellows  was  one  of  that  family  from  which  Bellows  Falls, 
Vermont,  takes  its  name. 

*  The  Plain  means  the  high  level  portion  of  the  town  of  Hanover  on 
which  the  village  and  the  College  stand. 

^  General  Brewster  was  Ebenezer,  who  is  often  mentioned  as 
"Colonel"  in  the  "History  of  Dartmouth  College,"  was  a  Tavern 
Keeper  and  Steward  of  the  College  for  several  years. 


24  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Chemical  Room  and  went  to  Mr.  Lang's/  but  he  had  gone  to  New 
York.  His  brother  said  that  he  did  not  have  any  of  the  Parsnip, 
but  if  he  had,  however,  it  was  in  his  chest,  which  was  locked  and 
must  be  broken  into,  which  he  did  not  choose  to  do. 

On  Saturdaj^  I  saw  Mr.  Bellows  in  Lyme.  I  desired  him  to  call 
and  take  the  Glass,  which  I  supposed  he  would  do,  and  did  not 
know  to  the  contrary  until  after  the  mail  was  gone.  I  expect  I 
can  forward  it  to  j^ou  this  morning  by  Mr.  Howe,^  the  bearer  of 
this  letter.  If  I  cannot,  I  will  send  it  by  the  next  mail,  if  no  oj>- 
portunity  presents  sooner.  I  came  through  Windsor  when  I  came 
up  the  river,  but  the  books  were  not  yet  bound.  As  soon  as  they 
shall  be,  I  wiH  send  you  the  one  you  wished  for.  The  2d  Volume  of 
the  Re\dew  came  safe  to  my  hand  by  B.  Gilbert,  Esq.^ 

The  pohtics  of  Hanover  are  on  much  the  same  estabhshment  as 
formerly.  The  same  may  be  said  of  economics,  hymeneutics  and 
other  "tics."  In  short  it  is  the  same  thing,  without  change  of 
shadow  or  substance.  Miss  Rachel  Chase  went  from  us  last  even- 
ing, her  course  due  South  for  Cornish.  We  are  now  left  in  statu 
quo. 

Mr.  Howe,  I  am  informed,  is  going.  I  cannot  be  allowed  to  pro- 
ceed farther.  With  Sentiments  of  Friendship,  I  am,  yours,  etc., 
Daniel  Adams." 

Now  it  happened  that  when  Dr.  Spalding  resumed  his 
lectures  in  October,  he  found  a  copy  of  Dr.  Adams'  Thesis, 
and  believing  that  his  own  ideas  had  been  plagiarized,  he 
wrote  sharply  to  Dr.  Adams,  then  in  Leominster,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

"Hanover,  October  24,  1799.  To  you,  Daniel  Adams,  or  to  any 
other  man,  I  had  hoped  never  to  be  called  upon  to  mention  so  dis- 
agreeable a  subject  as  that  of  Plagiarism,  which  I  now  conceive  you 
are  guilty  of  as  to  the  foundation  of  your  Dissertation.  When  I 
saw  you  at  Walpole,  I  gave  you  the  History  of  a  treatise  which  I 
told  you  I  was  writing  upon  "Animation."  I  told  you  of  some  use- 
ful experiments  made  by  Monro,  Cruikshank  and  others.  I  sent 
you  a  book  by  Esquire  Gilbert,  with  papers  at  their  places. 

^  Mr.  Lang  was  Richard  Lang  of  Hanover,  a  merchant  of  the  town, 
real  estate  owner  and  a  man  prominent  in  church  and  college  affairs. 
His  brother,  I  take  to  be  Major  J.  S.  Lang,  who  at  a  later  date  lived  in 
Hanover. 

2  Mr.  Howe  was  Abner,  a  student  in  the  Class  of  1801,  who  later  on 
had  a  degree  of  M.B.  at  Dartmouth  and  practiced  in  Beverly,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

*  Benjamin  Joseph  Gilbert  (1764-1849)  practiced  law  for  years  at 
Hanover  and  was  called  "Baron"  Gilbert  on  account  of  his  ponderosity. 
He  was  very  prominent  in  the  Dartmouth  College  Case. 


LECTURER  ON  CHEMISTRY  25 

When  I  last  saw  you  at  Hanover  I  asked  you  if  you  were  writing 
upon  this  subject.  You  said  you  were  not.  I  told  you  I  had 
Bomewhat  of  a  Pamphlet  completed  on  the  subject,  which  I  meant 
to  offer  to  the  public  this  Winter,  but  now  you  have  ordered  yours 
printed  without  my  knowledge,  and  if  I  had  not  accidently  learned 
the  subject-matter  and  repeatedly  asked  your  friends  for  it,  I 
should  never  have  seen  it  till  I  had  paid  my  20  cents.  That  you 
should  have  done  all  this  without  the  least  mark  of  an  acknowledge- 
ment, is  more  than  I  conceived  of.  If  you  have  the  least  gratitude 
you  will  order  one,  stiU  to  be  made,  as  you  have  rendered  abortive 
my  labours  in  writing  my  treatise.  If  you  do  not  consider  an 
acknowledgement  due  for  the  subject  matter  of  your  Dissertation, 
I  forbid  your  making  it,  unless  you  aim  to  insult  me.    L.  S." 

To  these  complaints  and  others  in  a  second  letter  which 
has  not  been  preserved,  Dr.  Adams  thus  replied: 

"Leominster,  November  14.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  made  use  of  no 
man's  arguments  to  support  my  subject,  for  in  truth  I  have  seen 
none,  and  although  I  have  called  in  to  my  assistance  some  experi- 
ments and  sentiments  of  different  authors,  they  were  made  by 
them  with  different  views  than  those  for  which  I  have  used  them. 
None  of  these  authors  have  supposed  oxygen  to  be  the  principle  of 
animation.   My  treating  the  subject  was  on  a  plan  entirely  my  own. 

These,  Sir,  are  my  sentiments  on  the  subject  of  your  first  letter: 
I  have  written  to  you  with  that  candor  and  openness  I  think  which 
becomes  a  friend.  If  you  are  satisfied  and  have  not  made  im- 
pressions of  what  you  have  there  accused  me  on  the  minds  of 
gentlemen  at  Hanover,  the  subject  will  not  be  thought  of  again, 
but  if  I  find  hereafter,  any  impressions  of  that  nature  abiding  with 
them,  I  shall  vindicate  my  character  at  the  expense  of  anything 
whatever,  truth  only,  excepted. 

Your  second  letter  comes  now  to  be  considered:  You  mention  a 
mistake  I  made  in  my  experiments  in  substance  or  in  terms.  I 
acknowledge  it,  in  the  latter.  I  did  not  give  it  the  right  name  ac- 
cording to  the  New  Nomenclature.  For  your  noting  of  this  mistake 
you  have  my  thanks,  I  shall  ever  be  no  less  ready  to  acknowledge 
a  kindness  than  resent  an  injury.  There  is  no  greater  office  of 
friendship  than  for  a  man  to  be  informed  of  his  errors  with  a  view 
to  prevent  these  being  exposed  to  the  World. 

(After  a  long  account  of  his  experiments  modelled  on  those 
of  Munro  and  Cruikshank^  which  may  be  omitted,  Dr. 
Adams  goes  on  to  say:) 

^  Dr.  Munro  whose  experiments  are  here  mentioned  will  be  an- 
noted  later,  whilst  of  William  Cumberland  Cruikshank  (1745-1800) 
this  may  be  said:   Besides  studying  medicine  at  Glasgow  and  Edin- 


26  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Thus,  Sir,  I  have  noticed  the  principal  points  in  your  letters  and 
answered  your  inquiries.  If  you  will  correct  the  terms  in  my  Dis- 
sertation, I  shall  consider  it  a  kindness.  With  your  last  letter  I 
received  a  Nomenclature  of  Chemistry,  improved  by  yourself. 
At  present,  I  can  make  you  no  other  rewards  than  to  assure  you  I 
am  extremely  obhged  to  you  for  this  honor.  Without  any  design 
to  flatter,  I  think  it  a  thing  much  wanted  by  chemical  students, 
and  well  calculated  to  answer  their  necessity. 

Now,  Sir,  I  have  nigh  done.  Important  advantages  may  be 
derived  from  correspondence  amongst  professional  men  who  are 
engaged  in  pursuits  of  truth  and  philosophical  acquirements.  This, 
we  have  heretofore  in  some  degree  enjoj^ed.  I  should  be  happy  if 
it  might  continue,  and  increase.  Should  this  be  agreeable  to  your 
sentiments,  your  next  will  point  out  the  manner  in  which  it  shall 
be  carried  on.    Yours  in  Sincerity.    Daniel  Adams." 

With  this  letter  the  quarrel  ceased  and  the  two  physicians 
remained  firm  friends  for  years. 

We  now  return  to  the  year  1798  and  note  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Nancrede  which  shows  what  Dr.  Spalding  was  then  studying. 

"Hanover,  July  5,  1798.  Dear  Sir:  I  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
the  pamphlets  and  catalogues  and  I  wish  you  to  send  me  by  the  bear- 
er, Beaume's  "Manuel  Du  Chemie,"^  Beddoes  "Factitious  Airs"^ 

burgh,  he  became  so  proficient  in  French  and  Italian  as  to  make  enough 
money  by  teaching  them  as  to  carry  him  through  to  his  medical  degree. 
He  moved  to  London  on  the  invitation  of  Dr.  WUliam  Hunter  to  be- 
come his  assistant,  and  after  Hunter's  death,  he  continued  in  the  same 
position  with  Dr.  Baillie,  Hunter's  nephew.  Cinikshank  was  a  good 
physician  but  too  nervous  to  be  a  good  surgeon.  He  wrote  much  on 
the  "Absorbents,"  and  his  Essay,  "On  the  Insensible  Perspiration  of 
the  Hiunan  Body"  issued  as  a  pamphlet  lq  1795,  is  probably  the  one 
from  which  Dr.  Adams  obtained  his  information.  Cruikshank  was 
physician  to  Sam  Johnson  on  his  death  bed,  and  when  he  seemed  timid 
in  scarifying  the  legs  of  the  Sage,  to  reUeve  him  from  dropsy,  Johnson 
exclaimed,  "Oh  you  sweet  blooded  Doctor.  I  want  Ufe,  but  you  are 
afraid  of  giving  me  pain;  cut  deeper,  man!" 

1  Antoine  Beaume  (1728-1804)  became  well  known  and  distin- 
guished, in  spite  of  many  obstacles,  and  his  various  inventions  com- 
pelled attention  to  his  great  learning  even  before  he  was  of  age.  His 
famous  "Manuel  du  Chemie"  was  issued  in  1753.  He  made  money 
by  manufacturing  Sal-Ammoniac  and  by  perfecting  Porcelains,  Bleach- 
ing and  Gilding.  He  lost  his  fortune  during  the  Revolution,  began  all 
over  again  and  was  once  more  prosperous  when  he  suddenly  died. 

2  Thomas  Beddoes  (1760-1808)  was  graduated  at  Oxford  and  there 
delivered  lectures  on  Chemistry  which  were  largely  attended.  He 
wrote  fluently  on  many  medical  topics  but  his  works  do  not  seem  to 
have   produced   any   permanent    effect   on  medicine.    Southey,   the 


LECTURER  ON  CHEMISTRY  27 

and  Townsend's  "Guide  to  Health,"^  the  second  volume  only, 
as  I  purchased  the  First  one  last  year  when  at  Cambridge.  If 
you  do  not  have  the  Second  Volume  for  sale  independently,  with- 
out the  First,  I  do  not  wish  you  to  send  both  volumes.  You  will 
be  pleased  to  place  these  books  to  my  account,  and  send  me  a  bill, 
together  with  whatever  is  due  for  books  taken  up  before  these. 
Sir,  I  am  yours,  etc.,  L.  Spalding." 

Dr.  Spalding  had  now  been  living  at  Hanover  from  Octo- 
ber, 1797,  to  Christmas,  1798,  when  he  went  back  to  Cornish 
and  made  a  journey  farther  down  the  river  to  Walpole, 
where  he  settled  for  practice. 

Before  setting  out,  however,  he  sent  to  President  Wheel- 
ock  ^  by  his  friend  Ithamar  Chase  of  Cornish  the  following 
request  for  a  letter  of  recommendation,  and  obtained  an 
enclosure,  which  has  been  irretrievably  lost. 

"Cornish,  December  24,  1798.  Mr.  President:  My  abrupt  de- 
partm-e  from  Hanover  was  unavoidable.  My  father  had  ordered 
a  sleigh  for  me  sooner  than  I  expected.  I  intended  to  have  called 
on  you  again,  with  Dr.  Smith,  but  could  not.  We  have  agreed  to 
continue  the  lectures  as  formerly. 

Sir,  I  spoke  to  you  some  time  ago  of  the  probability  of  my  re- 
siding at  Windsor,  but  as  yet  I  am  not  determined.    I  now  SEE 

famous  poet,  once  remarked,  that  he  had  hoped  for  more  good  to  Man- 
kind from  Beddoes  than  from  any  man  of  his  acquaintance,  but  that  he 
had  been  grievously  disappointed. 

1  Joseph  Townsend  (1739-1816)  was  a  noted  Mineralogist,  Medical 
Writer  and  Theologian,  studied  medicine  at  Edinburgh,  travelled  widely 
on  the  continent,  and  settled  down  as  Rector  of  a  Country  Parish  and 
Chaplain  to  the  Duke  of  Athol.  His  "Guide  to  Health"  a  ponderous 
work  was  first  published  in  1795,  ran  through  many  editions,  and  of 
these  Dr.  Spalding  seems  to  have  bought  the  volumes  of  the  First. 

2  John  Wheelock  (1754-1817),  second  President  of  Dartmouth,  was 
a  very  able  man,  the  son  of  Eleazer  Wheelock,  the  First  President  of 
the  College.  Graduating  from  Dartmouth,  he  was  in  succession  Tutor, 
Professor  of  History  and  President.  During  the  Revolution  he  served 
in  the  Army  with  much  renown.  He  was  elected  President  in  1779, 
and  labored  faithfully  and  energetically  until  his  resignation  in  1816 
owing  to  poUtical  quarrels.  A  great  deal  of  hitherto  unknown  material 
concerning  John  Wheelock  can  be  found  in  Professor  John  Kirke 
Lord's  recent  excellent  "History  of  Dartmouth  College." 

President  Wheelock  was  very  fond  of  my  grandfather,  took  him  in 
to  his  own  house  as  boarder  and  lodger  during  part  of  the  three  years 
which  he  spent  in  Hanover  as  Lecturer  on  Chemistry  and  Materia 
Medica,  and  favored  him  with  a  number  of  letters,  two  of  which  have 
been  preserved.  A  Commendatory  letter  in  1810  is  a  charming 
specimen  of  handwriting  and  pohteness  and  will  be  inserted  in  its 
proper  place  in  this  life. 


28  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

and  FEEL  the  need  of  a  few  words  that  can  be  spoken  in  my 
favour  from  so  distinguished  a  character  as  the  President  of  Dart- 
mouth College.  If  you  will  be  so  pohte  as  to  give  me  a  letter 
(recommendatory)  to  Esquire  Woodward,  he  will  transmit  it  safe 
to  me.  This  will  put  me  at  once  in  possession  of  the  confidence  of 
men,  for  which  I  must  otherwise  wait,  and  perhaps  in  vain.  I  am, 
Sir,  your  most  obedient  and  very  humble  servant,  L.  Spalding." 

By  the  hand  of  William  Woodward,^  Esquire,  Dr.  Spalding 
soon  received  this  brief  note : 

"Dartmouth  College,  January  4th,  1799.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  re- 
ceived yom"  favor  and  in  return  herewith  forward  a  testunonial, 
and  I  shall  rejoice  to  render  any  service  for  your  pubhc  usefulness, 
and  in  every  event  that  may  add  to  your  personal  fehcity.  I  am, 
with  best  ^\dshes,  dear  sir.  Your  Sincere  friend  and  very  Ob't 
Servant,  John  Wheelock." 

Although  Dr.  Spalding's  connection  with  the  Dartmouth 
School  was  not  yet  ended,  he  could  not  obtain  enough 
practice  at  Hanover  to  make  a  living  and  with  this  end  in 
view  he  settled  in  Walpole  at  New  Year's,  1799,  moved  to 
Portsmouth  in  June,  lectured  again  at  Hanover  in  October, 
and  then  resigned  his  position.  He  regretted  to  leave  Dr. 
Smith,  he  missed  the  stimulus  of  preparing  for  his  lectures 
which  had  kept  him  in  pace  with  recent  medical  improve- 
ments, but  the  distance  between  Portsmouth  and  Hanover 
was  too  great  and  the  loss  of  practice  at  Portsmouth  could 
not  be  made  up  by  fees  from  lectures  at  Hanover.  Dr. 
Spalding  had  lived  in  Hanover  two  years,  had  carried  through 
four  courses  on  Chemistry  and  Materia  Medica,  and  acted 
also  as  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy,  and  thus  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  a  knowledge  of  Anatomy  and  Surgery  which  ten 
years  later  brought  the  invitation  to  the  Professorship  of 
Surgery  and  Anatomy  at  the  Fairfield  Medical  School. 

1  WiUiam  Woodward,  later  known  as  William  Henry  Woodward 
(1774-1818),  was  a  man  of  great  prominence  at  Hanover,  and  in  the 
affairs  of  Dartmouth  for  many  years.  He  succeeded  his  brother 
George  as  Treasxu-er  of  the  College,  and  was  Chief  Justice  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  for  several  years.  A  letter  from  Mr.  Woodward  to 
Dr.  Spalding,  later  on,  shows  their  intimacy  and  very  friendly  relations. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Six  Months  of  Medical  Practice  at  Walpole,  New  Hampshire. 

Walpole  was,  in  1799,  a  country  town  of  about  a  thousand 
people,  and  a  famous  center  for  farm  produce  and  lumber. 
Armed  with  his  letter  from  President  Wheelock,  Dr.  Spald- 
ing soon  found  patients,  and  friends.  He  boarded  with 
General  Benjamin  Bellows  and  Major  Grant,  in  turn,  as  an 
old  diary  informs  me.  Bellows  was  a  big  man,  physically, 
and  big  hearted,  too,  and  his  Revolutionary  Title  clung  to 
him  even  in  those  days.  He  marched  to  Ticonderoga  and 
Saratoga,  filled  many  town  offices  and  died,  in  1802,  at  the 
age  of  62.  "Sam"  Grant,  a  Major  in  the  Revolution,  came 
to  Walpole  from  Watertown  in  Massachusetts  about  1775 
and  after  a  long  courtship,  interrupted  by  Army  Service, 
married  General  Bellows'  daughter,  Phoebe.  On  the  death 
of  her  father,  she  came  into  possession  of  a  large  farm,  called 
the  "  Seven  Barn  Farm,"  and  it  is  pleasant  to  recall  that 
while  grandfather  lived  in  Walpole  he  stabled  his  horse  in 
one  of  those  barns. 

A  diary  left  by  Dr.  Spalding,  in  Walpole,  mentions  cases 
of  a  farmer  with  ribs  broken  in  a  wresthng  match;  pleurisy, 
and  accidents  from  scythes  and  adzes,  necrosis  of  the  bones 
of  the  leg,  then  very  common,  also,  and  supposed  to  be  due  to 
walking  in  long,  wet  grass  and  marshy  woods  and  over  badly 
made  roads. 

In  his  leisure  moments,  he  wrote  for  the  "  Farmer's 
Gazette"  a  notice  of  Dr.  Samuel  Brown's  Graduating  Thesis 
"  On  Fever,"  a  paper  on  "Vernal  Debility"  and  other  popu- 
lar medical  topics. 

Among  the  documents  which  illustrate  this  portion  of  Dr. 
Spalding's  life  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  which  he  sent  to  his  friend 
Judah  Dana  (1772-1845)  of  Fryeburg,  Maine,  who  was 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1795  and  taught  three  years  in 
Moore's  Indian  Charity  School  connected  with  the  College. 
He  then  settled  in  Fryeburg,  where  he  obtained  a  fine  prac- 
tice as  a  lawyer,  and  was  chosen  Judge  of  Probate,  Judge 
of  Common  Pleas,  and  finally  United  States  Senator  from 

29 


30  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Maine.  Judge  Dana  was  prominent  in  obtaining  the  long 
desired  Separation  of  Maine  from  Massachusetts,  finally 
accomplished  in  1820. 

"Walpole,  February  12,  1799.  My  friend  Judah  Dana:  I  can 
write  you  nothing  more  agreeable  than  a  sketch  of  the  amusements 
of  this  place  or  the  methods  which  the  lads  take  to  worry  dull  care 
away  and  to  kill  cares.  Morning  from  six  till  ten,  sleeping,  wak- 
ing, rising,  dressing,  etc.,  much  like  other  folks.  Ten  till  eleven 
breakfasting,  barbering^  and  the  like,  just  like  Hanoverians,  only 
lounge  an  hour  after  the  teatable.^  From  eleven  till  three  em- 
ployed in  business  according  to  their  several  occupations,  long 
Christian  faces  with  a  sharper's  eye.  All  kinds  of  business  are 
executed  with  despatch,  but  the  tongue  has  cleaved  to  the  roof  of 
the  mouth.  No  man  accosts  you,  passes  in  silence.  If  you  accost 
them  on  any  topic,  he  answers  you  "MUM,"  and  drives  on,  leaving 
you  in  the  lurch.  These  are  the  hours  for  business,  and  you  are 
sure  of  no  interruptions,  for  if  you  knock  at  a  friend's  door,  he  cries, 
"Busy,"  and  you  make  your  escape. 

At  three  the  table  is  laid,  they  are  all  changed  in  the  twinkhng 
of  an  eye,  from  silence  to  sociabihty.  After  dinner.  Merry  goes 
the  nutclack,  the  Porter  and  the  wine.  From  this  till  twelve  is 
spent  in  reveling,  driving  dull  cares  away.    Your  friend,  L.  S." 

Another  letter  from  Dr.  Spalding  to  Mr.  Josiah  Dunham 
has  its  historical  value. 

"Sunday  Morning.  .  .  Not  yet  at  Church. 

(Dr.  Spalding  then  goes  to  Church  and  returns  and 
resumes  the  letter.) 

You  well  know,  Dunham,  that  I  prefer  a  LAY  to  a  CLERICAL 
Sermon.  I  just  called  in  to  hear  the  former  and  while  the  preacher 
was  thumbing  his  Alkoran,  for  the  text,  I  cast  my  eye  into  the 
"Monthly  Magazine"  for  July,  1798,  published  on  the  banks  of 
the  Thames  in  St.  Pauls.  Under  the  Title  of  Literary  and  Philo- 
sophical InteUigence  I  recognized  this  anecdote: 

"The  epidemic  which  has  lately  ravaged  a  part  of  the  United 
States  of  America  has  not  been  confined  to  the  human  species  a- 
lone.  The  foxes  in  some  parts  of  New  Hampshire  and  Massa- 
chusetts have  fallen  in  great  numbers  by  disease;  and  in  some 
parts  of  the  Eastern  States  GEESE  have  been  afflicted  in  a  very 

'  "Barbering"  which  then  consisted  in  shaving  the  face  and  hairy 
scalp  and  arranging  the  wig  took  much  time  daily  out  of  a  man's  hfe. 

'  "Tea"  at  ten  in  the  morning  then  so  fashionable  has  long  since 
been  driven  out  by  "Four  o'clock  Tea." 

This  letter  is  amueing  as  a  sketch  of  the  times  in  a  country  town. 


SIX  MONTHS  AT  WALPOLE  31 

Singular  Manner,  many  have  been  seen  to  sieze  some  object  with 
their  Bills  and  to  adhere  to  it  till  they  died." 

A  great  day  for  Dartmouth  Sophs.  So  Literary  and  Philo- 
sophical are  they  in  all  their  movements,  even  to  that  of  killing  a 
goose,  that  they  are  noticed  by  the  great  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  before 
the  Royal  Philosophical  Society,  in  the  great  Emporium  of  the 
East.  Unfortunately  this  affecting  malady  happened  before  the 
estabUshment  of  the  Dartmouth  Medical  Institution,  otherwise, 
the  world  would  have  been  favored  with  the  Professor's  report 
officially  on  the  subject.  Was  not  this  the  forerunner  of  the  Yel- 
low Fever  which  prevailed  at  Hanover  last  Summer?  It  has  been 
unjustly  attributed  to  Gerry's  dog.  I  think  it  would  be  well  to 
inform  the  public  that  Gerry  did  not  kill  the  dog,  but  the  dog  was 
peaceable  and  had  never  died  of  the  Yellow  Fever,  BEFORE  .  .  . 
Dear  Sir.    I  am  yours,  Spalding."^ 

The  following  letter  to  Dr.  Samuel  Brown  gives  some  idea 
of  Dr.  Spalding's  labors  at  Hanover. 

"Walpole,  April,  1799.  Dear  Friend:  Looking  over  a  pile  of 
imanswered  letters  I  find  one  from  you  in  which  you  expressed  a 
wish  to  know  how  I  was  going  to  dispose  of  myself.  Under  it  I 
marked  with  my  pencil  "  Desideratum."^  I  will  now  inform  you 
how  the  Fates  have  disposed  of  me,  as  I  am,  myself,  a  mere 
object,  rather  than   an   active   agent.      In  November  I  was  in 

1  It  wiU  be  recalled,  perhaps,  that  in  a  letter  from  Dr.  Mitchill,  Dr. 
Spalding  had  been  asked  for  information  concerning  a  curious  disease 
reported  far  and  wide  as  affecting  geese  at  Hanover,  and  that  a  true 
account  of  the  affair  would  be  mentioned  later  on. 

It  seems,  then,  that  geese  were  drinking  at  the  watering  trough  in 
the  college  yard  at  Dartmouth,  when  they  were  attacked  by  Sopho- 
mores and  that  in  resisting,  they  seized  hold  of  the  students'  canes 
("bloodees"  as  they  were  then  called)  and  so  holding  on  were  beated 
to  death  by  canes  in  the  hands  of  other  students.  The  incident  was 
mentioned  jokingly  in  the  "Dartmouth  Eagle"  as  "a  new  disease 
amongst  geese,"  and  from  that  item  the  gossip  spread  over  the  civilized 
world. 

Sir  Joseph  Banks  (1743-1820)  was  a  dullard  in  school  but  famous 
the  rest  of  his  life.  He  used  an  inherited  fortune  to  explore  New 
Foundland,  and  then  to  accompany  Captain  James  Cook  on  one  of 
his  voyages  around  the  world,  during  which  he  observed  the  Transit 
of  Venus  in  1769.  He  risked  his  life  at  one  time  by  disguising  himself 
as  a  negro,  and  attending  the  funeral  of  a  Caimibal  King,  so  as  to  note 
the  customs  of  the  natives.  Sir  Joseph  was  very  intimate  with  King 
George,  and  was  often  caricatured  by  GHray.  He  was  rather  domineer- 
ing, but  possessed  the  gift  of  obtaining  information  from  others,  and 
thus  greatly  enriched  Natural  History. 

'^  "Desideratum"  may  be  translated  as  "Worth  Answering." 


32  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

town,*  called  more  than  twenty  times  at  your  lodgings,  once  at  the 
Medical  School  and  several  times  at  Dr.  Warren's,  but  I  could  not 
find  you  at  all.  You  must  since,  have  heard  of  my  object.  Since 
that  time  I  have  resided  at  Dartmouth  till  a  few  weeks  ago,  I  estab- 
Ushed  myself  in  this  httle  town  for  the  practice  of  Physick  and 
Surgery. 

While  in  Hanover,  I  prepared  all  the  Chemical  Experiments  and 
dissected  the  subject  for  Dr.  Smith's  lectures  in  the  Fall  of  1797. 
In  the  Spring  of  1798  the  College  requested  Dr.  Smith  to  deliver 
a  second  course,  in  which  I  took  an  active  part,  composing  and 
delivering  one-third  part  of  the  Chemical  Lectures.  Of  these,  in 
the  Autumn  of  1798  I  had  the  whole  management,  and  profit.  I 
now  expect  to  continue  in  this  branch.^ 

Practical  observations  concerning  medicine,  you  must  not  call 
upon  from  me.  If,  in  conclusion,  it  should  meet  your  eye  to 
estabUsh  a  correspondence  with  a  country  practitioner,  I  promise 
you  I  shall  not  be  wanting  on  my  part.  .  .  .  L.  S. 

P.  S.  I  thank  you,  even  at  this  late  date,  for  your  Graduating 
Thesis.  I  have  directed  Mr.  Nancrede  to  deUver  you  some  copies 
of  mine.  If  you  have  not  received  them  you  will  be  pleased  to  call 
upon  him  for  them." 

The  next  letter  to  Mr.  Nancrede  shows  further  medical 
studies. 

"Walpole,  February  4,  1799.  Dear  Sir:  You  may  be  surprised 
to  find  me  cantoned  in  this  httle  village.  However,  I  flatter  my- 
self that  it  is  ultimately  for  the  best.  The  books  sent  by  Mr. 
Hedge,  came  safe  to  hand,  though  as  yet  I  have  not  received  a  bill 
of  them.  Sir,  I  wish  you  to  procure  for  me,  "Medical  and  Ch5a-urgi- 
cal  Review"  — B.  BeU's  "System  of  Surgery "^  —  RusseU  "On 

1  "In  town"  refers  to  Dr.  Spalding's  visit  to  Boston  at  that  time 
to  buy  apparatus  for  his  lectures,  and  instruments  for  Dr.  Smith. 
When  he  returned  with  a  debit  balance  against  Dr.  Smith  of  some 
$20,  Dr.  Smith  repaid  it  by  taking  Dr.  Spalding  to  board  in  his  home. 

2  "To  continue  in  this  branch"  means,  that  although  he  had  left 
Hanover,  he  intended  to  return  in  due  season  for  other  lectures,  as  he 
actually  did. 

3  Benjamin  Bell  (1749-1806)  was  bom  in  Dumfries,  and  educated 
medically  at  Edinburgh  where  he  soon  obtained  a  position  at  the  head 
of  the  Infirmary  which  he  held  for  nearly  thirty  years.  His  book  "On 
Ulcers"  ran  through  seven  editions  and  was  translated  into  various 
languages,  whilst  his  "System  of  Surgery"  which  Dr.  Spalding  was 
now  ordering  covered  six  volumes,  was  issued  in  seven  editions  and 
was  likewise  translated  into  foreign  tongues.  Bell  was  a  very 
skilful  operator,  went  largely  in  later  years  into  agriculture,  and  being 
of  a  careful  disposition  saved  the  money  which  he  had  made  in  his 
practice,  and  left  a  fortune. 


SIX  MONTHS  AT  WALPOLE  33 

Necrosis"*  —  Robinson's'^  "Medical  Extracts"  —  Johnson's  "In- 
troduction to  Midwifery"'  —  Townsend's  "Guide  to  Health"  — 
Lavoisier^  and  ChaptaP  "Chemistries"  —  Rush  "Medical  In- 
quiries and  Observations,"  and  give  me  notice  when  ready  for  de- 
livery.   Sir,  I  am.  Yours,  etc.,  L.  Spalding. 

P.  S.  I  can  inform  you  nothing  respecting  Joan  of  Arc,®  Mr. 
Hedge  having  the  subscription  paper." 

This  letter  was  carried  to  Mr.  Nancrede  by  Roger  Vose, 
Esquire  (1779-1841),  who  practiced  law  at  Walpole,  served 
two  terms  in  Congress  and  was  Judge  of  Probate  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  He  is  the  first  man  of  whom  I  have 
heard,  that  "he  liked  living  near  a  burying  ground,  for  he 
had  quiet  neighbors  and  could  from  his  windows  see  beyond 
the  grave." 

A  note  to  Dr.  Bartlett  of  Boston  throws  light  on  Dart- 
mouth and  shows  the  writer  busy  with  his  experiments. 

"Walpole,  April  11,  1799.  Dear  Sir:  You  will  recollect  that  I 
gave  you  letters  from  Dr.  Smith  and  Mr.  Hedge  in  1797.    Since 

*  Alexander  Russel  (1715-1769),  physician  and  Naturalist,  travelled 
largely  abroad  and  visited  Aleppo,  where  he  learned  Arabic  and  wrote 
"A  Natural  History  of  Aleppo"  which  had  great  vogue  and  made  him 
famous.  Russell  sent  home  the  seeds  of  scammony,  and  introduced 
that  plant,  as  well  as  the  Arbutus,  into  English  Medicine. 

2  Robinson's  "Medical  Extracts"  seem  to  have  been  collected  by 
Nicholas  of  that  name  (1697-1775)  who  obtained  his  medical  degree 
at  Rheims,  and  was  a  profuse  and  diffuse  medical  writer  and  compiler. 

^  Robert  Wallace  Johnson  (the  merest  sort  of  a  shadow  in  English 
Medical  History)  published  in  London  in  1769  "A  New  System  of 
Midwifery"  in  four  parts,  which  seems  to  be  the  work  for  which  Dr. 
Spalding  was  inquiring. 

*  Lavoisier  (1743-1794)  wiU  remain  famous  so  long  as  history  en- 
dures as  much  for  his  extraordinary  discoveries  in  chemistry  as  for 
being  guiUotined  amidst  the  busiest  time  of  his  life  and  learning.  He 
gave  his  energies,  his  fortune  and  his  life  to  improvements  in  chemistry, 
and  was  also  distinguished  as  a  physiologist. 

5  Jean  Antoine  Chaptal  (1755-1832)  of  whose  "Treatise  on  Chem- 
istry" my  grandfather  was  very  fond,  was  eminent  in  France  where  he 
made  his  discoveries  useful  to  the  Arts  and  beneficial  to  the  industries 
of  that  coimtry.  His  lectures  were  entitled  "Elegant"  in  deUvery  and 
diction,  and  his  style  as  "Classical."  Under  Napoleon,  Chaptal's 
career  was  wonderfully  useful  to  France.  Cruel  reverses  of  fortune 
embittered  his  old  age  and  much  that  he  had  done  for  the  Empire  was 
frivolously  wasted. 

^  "Joan  of  Arc"  was  an  American  Edition  of  Voltaire's  Poem,  which 
Mr.  Nancrede  was  introducing,  as  he  had  already  introduced  into 
America  the  "Helvetia"  of  Mallet  du  Pain. 


34  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

that  time  Dr.  Smith  has  entrusted  to  my  care  the  management  of 
the  Chemical  Department  at  Dartmouth  College.  As  you  were 
concerned  in  the  importation  of  Dr.  Smith's  apparatus,  he  has 
highly  recommended  you  as  an  agent  to  procure  suppUes  for 
me.  Now,  Sir,  I  wish  you  to  import  for  me,  1/4  cwt.  Exeter 
Manganese,  2  ounces  of  Phosphorus,  5  pounds  Purified  Soda,  or 
Miueral  AlkaU,  Barytes  and  Ponderous  Earth,  2  pounds  each  of 
Fluor  Spar,  Fluorine,  and  Bi-MetaUic  Platinum  and  Bismuth, 
Nickel  and  Zinc,  small  specimens  of  each  in  a  Regulin  (PURE) 
State,  and  5  pounds  of  Oxygenated  Muriatic  Acid.  With  Esteem, 
L.  Spalding." 

One  of  the  friends  whom  Dr.  Spalding  made  in  his  horse- 
back journey  through  Vermont  in  1797  was  Dr.  Ezekiel 
Porter  of  Rutland,  a  physician  of  prominence  in  the  State, 
and  the  First  President  of  the  Vermont  Medical  Society. 
To  him  whilst  at  Walpole  Dr.  Spalding  wrote  the  following 
letter,  concerning  what  we  now  call  Typhoid  Fever: 

"Walpole,  April  7,  1799.  Dear  Sir:  Humanity  requires  every 
physician  to  exert  himseK  to  investigate  the  cause  and  a  means  of 
eradicating  from  the  United  States  a  fever  which  has  for  several 
years  spread  devastation  throughout  the  country.  To  investigate 
the  CAUSE,  requires  the  history  of  its  origin  in  many  separate 
places. 

The  most  popular  theory  is,  at  present.  Dr.  MitchiU's,  of  Septon 
or  Azote,  afforded  by  the  putrefaction  of  animal  and  vegetable 
substances.  This  theory  had  its  origin  in  the  City  of  New  York, 
where  there  is  always  filth  enough  to  generate  a  fever,  if  putrescence 
be  the  source,  but,  in  the  country,  the  air  is  salubrious  and  un- 
contaminated  with  the  effluvia  from  ships,  markets,  docks,  quays, 
reservoirs  and  so  on.  Here,  is  the  place  to  search  for  its  origin  and 
Cause.  These  motives  have  induced  me  to  solicit  the  assistance 
of  a  man  whom  I  scarcely  know.  Mr.  Meacham,  however,  your 
student  is  an  intimate  acquaintance  of  mine  and  to  his  care  I 
direct  this  epistle. 

Hearing  that  this  fever  was  prevalent  in  Rutland,  I  shall  be 
much  obUged  to  you  for  a  History  of  its  origin  in  that  town,  con- 
taining the  situation  of  the  houses  IN  WHICH,  and  the  TIME 
where  it  first  appeared,  if  any  putrid  substance  were  near,  such 
as  dead  animals,  compost  heaps,  yards  of  manure,  uncleaned 
putrid  meat,  outhouses,  ponds  of  filth:  in  a  word,  every  possible 
source  of  putrefaction. 

Note  the  quality  of  the  drinking  water  and  soil,  the  number 
affected  and  the  deaths.  If,  evidently  contagious,  what  cases 
seemed  so,  particularly;  what  class  of  people  were  first  attacked, 


SIX  MONTHS  AT  WALPOLE  35 

or  which  suffered  the  most;  did  it  occur  amongst  merchants,  or 
travelers  who  had  recently  visited  infected  towns;  in  what  part  of 
the  town  was  it  most  prevalent,  the  compact  or  the  isolated;  what 
was  its  APPARENT  origin,  or  in  what  consisted  the  remote  or 
occasional  cause,  and  other  particulars  that  you  can  suggest. 
With  high  esteem,  L.  Spalding." 

I  do  not  find  any  news  from  Dr.  Mitchill  during  these 
months  at  Walpole  but  an  old  scrap  book  contains  an  ad- 
vertisement inserted  in  "The  Walpole  Farmer"  by  Dr. 
Spalding,  calling  attention  to  the  "  Repository"  for  which  all 
should  subscribe,  "For,"  as  he  says,  "Physicians  can  see  at 
a  glance  the  practice  of  physicians  in  every  part  of  the 
world,  whilst  the  General  Information  column  will  be  useful 
to  all  classes  of  readers." 

About  this  time  also,  Dr.  Spalding,  like  an  enormous  army 
of  other  citizens,  clergy,  and  physicians,  bought  one  of 
Perkins'  Patent  Tractors  (No.  4285)  consisting  of  two 
pieces  of  metal.  Steel  and  Copper,  tapering  to  a  blunt  point. 
The  "FLUID"  generated  by  the  apparatus  was  claimed  to 
"DRAW"  diseases  from  the  body.  Tractors  sold,  by  the 
way,  at  $20  a  set  with  a  discount  of  $4  to  any  reputable 
physician  or  to  traders  buying  by  wholesale. 

Dr.  Elisha  Perkins  (1741-1799),  the  inventor  of  these 
tractors,  was  born  in  Plainfield,  Connecticut,  in  the  same 
town  with  Dyer  Spalding,  and  for  that  reason,  amongst 
many  others,  Dyer's  son  felt  unusual  interest  in  the  new 
machine.  Elisha,  the  son  of  a  physician,  studied  medicine 
with  his  father,  and  after  many  experiments,  invented  his 
"Tractor"  which  he  used;  "At  so  much  a  Tract,"  and  which 
for  sheer  success  throws  all  the  "Pathies"  of  this  present 
era  into  the  shade.  By  the  terms  of  sale  of  the  Tractor,  it 
could  be  leased  to  one  other  person  in  case  of  the  death  of 
the  original  purchaser,  but  after  the  death  of  its  second 
owner,  its  virtues  suddenly  ceased. 

A  single  pamphlet  on  "Tractorism"  in  my  possession 
contains  five  thousand  authenticated  cures  of  diseases 
Twenty-four  physicians  and  nineteen  surgeons  in  England, 
reported  additional  thousands  of  cures,  whilst;  "  one  MIL- 
LION of  people  utilized  Tractorism,  successfully,  on  infants, 
adults  and  animals  alike." 

The  absurdity  of  Tractorism  makes  us  laugh  at  the  gulli- 
bility of  our  ancestors,  yet  generations  to  come  will  laugh 


36  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

to  scorn  our  present  day  legislatures  for  legalizing  optometry, 
osteopathy  and  other  forms  of  human  folly. 

Dr.  Perkins,  in  his  old  age,  invented  a  preventive  against 
Yellow  Fever,  experimented  with  it  during  an  epidemic,  but 
fell  himself  a  victim  to  the  scourge,  and  his  son  continued 
the  Tractoration  Business,  with  much  success  for  many 
years. 

One  single  example  of  medical  writing  by  Dr.  Spalding, 
when  at  Walpole  is  to  be  found  in  "An  Open  Letter"  to  Dr. 
Abraham  Hedge,  "On  a  deficiency  of  the  Red  Globules  of 
the  Blood,"  (The  Pernicious  Anaemia  of  today)  valuable 
and  suggestive  in  its  thoughts  though  brief  in  contents. 

Dr.  Spalding's  twenty-fourth  birthday  happened  to  fall 
on  Wednesday,  the  5th  of  June,  1799,  and  he  decided  on 
that  day  that  Walpole  was  too  small  a  place  for  him;  so  he 
set  off  for  Portsmouth,  arrived  there  on  Friday,  at  noon, 
and  established  himself  in  medical  practice. 

Portsmouth  was  the  largest  town  in  New  Hampshire,  con- 
tained six  thousand  people.  Dr.  Hall  Jackson,  one  of  the 
leading  physicians  had  lately  died,  many  of  Dr.  Spalding's 
Dartmouth  friends  had  already  settled  there,  and  in  addition 
to  looking  for  a  share  of  public  patronage,  he  hoped  to  obtain 
a  position  as  Contract  Surgeon  or  Surgeon's  Mate  (Assistant 
Surgeon  of  today)  to  the  Army  Garrison  at  Fort  Constitu- 
tion in  Portsmouth  Harbor. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Thirteen  Years  at  Portsmouth,   New  Hampshire  —  1799-1812. 
Bills  of  Mortality.    Surgeon's  Mate  in  the  United  States 
Army,    Final  Lectures  at  Dartmouth. 

I  HAVE  always  thought  that  my  grandfather  planned, 
originally,  to  settle  in  New  York,  but  that  he  felt  that  his 
means  for  sustaining  himself  in  the  metropolis,  until  he  could 
build  up  a  paying  practice,  were  too  small.  For  that  reason 
Portsmouth  seemed  an  excellent  center,  with  a  considerable 
population,  and  but  few  able  physicians.  Immediately 
upon  his  arrival  he  called  on  these  gentlemen,  inserted  a 
CARD  in  the  papers,  and  went  to  Boston  to  lay  in  a  supply 
of  drugs  such  as  physicians  then  compounded  and  carried 
to  their  patients.  Whilst  in  Boston  he  called  on  Dr.  Dexter, 
who  gave  him  the  Magazine  of  the  Massachusetts  Agri- 
cultural Society  in  which  he  found  a  Prize  Essay  "On  Slug 
Worms"  by  his  friend,  WiUiam  Dandridge  Peck  of  Kittery, 
of  whom  a  word  later  on,  with  his  letters  to  Dr.  Spalding. 

Dr.  Spalding  at  once  became  a  leader  in  New  Hampshire 
Medicine.  Just  as  at  Hanover  he  had  established  a  local 
Medical  Society,  so  in  Portsmouth  he  called  the  physicians 
together,  read  the  first  paper,  showed  a  patient  and  induced 
others  to  show  theirs,  exhibited  anatomical  preparations 
and  brought  forward  opium  and  lettuce  which  he  had  grown 
in  his  own  garden.  This  local  Society  finally  became  the 
Eastern  District  Branch  of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical 
Society,  to  which  he  was,  in  1801,  elected  a  member,  and  in 
succeeding  years.  Censor,  Secretary,  Librarian  and  Treas- 
urer, and  in  1811  Vice  President.  The  Records  still  pre- 
served show  in  his  excellent  hand-writing,  that  as  Secretary 
he  found  large  arrears  of  dues,  a  treasury  filled  with  counter- 
feit money,  and  the  books  in  disorder.  He  was  present  at 
every  meeting,  caused  many  influential  members  of  the  pro- 
fession outside  of  the  State  to  be  enrolled  as  Honorary 
Members  and  tried  to  prevent  quackery  by  asking  for 
legislation  that  no  one  should  practice  medicine  without  a 
diploma,  examination,  or  references.    Persons  failing  thus 

37 


38  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

to  qualify  could  not  collect  pay  for  services.  He  once  took 
part  in  a  Debate  on  the  Question:  "Is  There  an  Idiopathic 
Worm  Fever"  which  he  opposed  and  in  so  doing  introduced 
many  medico-literary  allusions.  He  presented  to  the 
library  a  copy  of  the  Massachusetts  Pharmacopoeia,  a  gift 
from  Dr.  Warren,  caused  it  to  be  oJB&cially  accepted  as 
authoritative  in  New  Hampshire,  and  as  Necrologist,  wrote 
a  Eulogy  of  Dr.  Joshua  Brackett  (1733/1802)  founder  of  the 
Society.^ 

After  settling  down  for  the  Winter,  Dr.  Spalding  gave 
much  time  to  dissection  and  to  the  formation  of  an  Ana- 
tomical Museum,  which  was  famous  in  Portsmouth  for 
several  years. 

About  this  time,  also,  originated  his  Bills  of  Mortality  of 
Portsmouth  which  he  issued  from  1800  to  1813,  and  which 
being  widely  quoted,  made  his  name  well  known  in  America 
and  Europe. 

These  Bills  will  be  often  mentioned  as  we  move  along,  for 
their  aim  was  to  increase  public  interest  in  tuberculosis,  as 
well  as  to  establish  the  average  of  longevity  for  purposes  of 
Life  Insurance  and  annuities.  Dr.  Spalding  also  induced  his 
medical  friends  to  follow  his  example,  amongst  them  being 
Dr.  Noyes  of  Newbury  of  whom  we  shall  soon  hear,  and  Dr. 
John  Drury  of  Marblehead,  a  man  of  learning  as  his  Book- 
Plates  prove.  Dr.  Drury's  Bill  of  Mortality  for  1808  shows 
18  deaths  by  drowning  out  of  117  in  all  deceased. 

The  position  of  Contract  Surgeon  to  the  troops  at  the 
Fort  in  the  Harbor,  which  Dr.  Spalding  obtained  soon  after 
his  arrival  in  Portsmouth,  widened  his  acquaintance  rapidly. 
Although  his  actual  Commission  as  Surgeon's  Mate  in  the 
Army  did  not  arrive  until  two  years  later,  the  appointment 

*  This  excellent  physician  was  born  in  Stratham,  New  Hampshire, 
and  graduating  at  Harvard,  studied  divinity,  and  preached  a  Uttle, 
but  with  failing  health  he  studied  medicine  and  practiced  at  Ports- 
mouth, where  he  was  loved  as  a  man  and  skilful  obstetrician.  He 
wrote  little  if  any  on  medicine,  but  his  well-filled  Case  Books  were  al- 
ways open  to  inquiring  students.  Dr.  Brackett  gave  to  the  State 
Medical  Society  a  Thousand  Dollars  for  Books  and  his  Widow  Five 
Hundred  more.  At  Dr.  Spalding's  suggestion  the  Society  caused  to  be 
printed  in  Golden  Letters  the  name  "Brackett"  on  all  the  gifts  from 
the  fund.  Those  books  no  longer  remain  in  honor  of  their  Giver,  a 
Collection,  as  they  should  be  in  the  Library  of  the  State  at  Concord, 
but  are  scattered  here  and  there  along  the  shelves,  and  many  of 
great  Medico-historical  value  lost. 


THIRTEEN  YEARS  AT  PORTSMOUTH        39 

may  be  mentioned  here  because  the  first  letter  belonging  to 
the  year  1799  in  Portsmouth  refers  to  the  affair. 

Foremost  in  the  list  of  friends  who  aided  this  scheme,  I 
find  the  name  of  Hon.  Arthur  Livermore/  son  of  the  Honor- 
able Samuel  Livermore,^  who  happened  to  be  leaving  Ports- 
mouth at  this  time  to  visit  his  father  in  Holderness,  New 
Hampshire. 

Dr.  Spalding  gave  the  son  a  letter  for  his  father,  asking 
him  to  send  a  recommendation  to  forward  to  Washington. 

When  Mr.  Livermore  reached  home,  he  wrote  to  this 
effect : 

"Dear  Sir:  I  did  not  arrive  here  until  last  evening,  being  delayed 
longer  on  my  journey  than  expected.  I  immediately  gave  your 
letter  to  my  father,  who  observed  that  the  certificate  from  President 
Wheelock,   General   Bradley,'  Governor   Langdon*  and   Doctor 

^  Hon.  Arthur  Livermore  (1769-1857)  was  a  distinguished  citizen 
and  Jurist  and  Chief  Justice  of  New  Hampshire. 

2  Hon.  Samuel  Livermore  (1732-1813)  was  one  of  New  Hampshire's 
famous  men.  He  was  Attorney  General  of  the  State,  Member  of  the 
First  American  Congress,  Member  of  the  United  States  Congress, 
United  States  Senator  from  New  Hampshire  and  finally  Chief  Justice 
of  the  State. 

3  Stephen  Rowe  Bradley  (1754-1830)  was  very  prominent  in  Ver- 
mont State  affairs,  on  most  friendly  terms  with  the  celebrated  Ethan 
Allen,  and  extremely  active  in  pohtics  during  the  Revolution.  He  was 
the  first  United  States  Senator  from  Vermont,  a  General  in  the  MUitia, 
and  finally  Chief  Justice  of  the  State.  He  probably  did  more  than  any 
other  man  to  obtain  statehood  for  Vermont  at  a  time  when  New  Hamp- 
shire and  New  York  were  disputing  for  its  ownership.  The  pamphlet 
which  he  published  on  this  topic  is  now  a  very  valuable  item  to  bibU- 
ophiles. 

General  Bradley  was  one  of  the  first  "Bosses"  in  American  PoUtics 
and  wielded  immense  poUtical  power  in  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont. 

*  John  Langdon  (1741-1819)  rose  from  the  calling  of  a  Captain  in  the 
Merchant  Marine  to  become  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress, 
Navy  Agent  at  Portsmouth  and  Member  of  the  Provincial  Congress, 
over  which  he  presided.  He  served  in  the  Revolution  Navy  and  as 
United  States  Senator  from  New  Hampshire  notified  Washington, 
personally,  of  his  election  as  First  President  of  the  United  States. 
Langdon  was  repeatedly  elected  Governor  of  New  Hampshire  and  for 
years  maintained  a  lofty  position  in  the  Nation  by  his  gracious  and  in- 
sinuating manners,  his  sociabihty  and  his  entertaining  quahties  as  a 
man.  He  early  employed  Dr.  Spalding  as  his  physician,  and  was  one  of 
his  staunchest  friends. 

The  certificate  from  Mr.  Wheelock  is  the  missing  document  of 
January  4,  1799,  and  is  probably  in  the  Archives  at  Washington  to 
this  day. 


40  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Smith,  and  the  information  he  had  before,  of  you,  convinced  him 
of  the  justice  of  your  claim  to  the  position,  but  said  he  could  not, 
now,  write  another  conamendatory  letter  as  there  is  in  his  opinion 
probability  that  the  appointment  will  not  be  made  until  the  Senate 
meet.  Utterly  unknown  by  all  who  have  a  part  in  the  Executive, 
it  would  be  presumption  in  me  to  say  anything  on  this  occasion, 
though  from  the  information  I  have  had  of  your  character,  I  most 
heartily  wish  the  appointment  may  be  yours. 

I  am,  Dear  Sir,  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't.    Aethue  Livermobe. 

New  Holderness,  July  29,  1799." 

Captain  Josiah  Dunham,  recently  appointed  to  the  Army 
and  now  on  recruiting  service  at  Hanover,  also  assisted  Dr. 
Spalding  in  his  efforts  to  obtain  an  Army  Appointment,  and 
enclosing  a  certificate  vi^rote  as  follows : 

"Hanover,  March  22,  1802.  Sir.  Your  favor  did  not  reach  me 
till  the  20th  instant  (having  been  absent).  I  inmiediately  sat 
down  and  gave  the  Secretary  of  War^  a  copy  of  the  attached  letter. 
Happy  shall  I  be,  my  friend,  if  you  get  the  berth  you  solicit.  I 
shall  see  you  in  10  or  15  days,  if  the  bad  roads  will  permit.  I  re- 
gret haste,  but  am,  Dear  Sir,  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't,  J.  Dunham, 
Captain,  etc." 

The  "letter  attached"  mentions  Dr.  Spalding's  services  at 
Dartmouth  as  well  as  whilst  Contract  Surgeon  at  the  Forts, 
and  his  devotion  to  medicine.  It  is  directed  to  Honorable 
Henry  Dearborn,  Esquire,  Secretary  at  War,  and  is  signed 
"J.  Dunham,  Captain  2d  Regiment  Artillery  and  Engineers." 

When  the  appointment  as  Surgeon's  Mate  finally  arrived, 
most  unexpected  conditions  were  found  attached  to  it. 

"Washington,  April  9,  1802.  Sir.  The  President  has  been 
pleased  by  and  with  the  consent  of  the  Senate  to  appoint  you  a 
Surgeon's  Mate  in  the  Service  of  the  United  States.  You  will  im- 
mediately signify  your  acceptance  or  non-acceptance  thereof,  and 
in  case  of  the  Former,  you  will  proceed  without  loss  of  time  to 

1  Henry  Dearborn  (1751-1829)  was  the  son  of  a  physician  in  Hamp- 
ton, New  Hampshire,  studied  medicine  and  was  practicing  at  Notting- 
ham Comer,  New  Hampshire,  but  immediately  after  Bunker  Hill 
Battle  he  obtained  an  appointment  in  the  Army  as  Lieutenant  and 
rose  to  be  Major  General.  He  served  throughout  the  Revolution  as 
well  as  during  the  War  of  1812,  was  Ambassador  to  Portugal,  Collector 
of  the  Port  of  Boston  and  lived  several  years  at  Hallowell,  Maine, 
where  he  farmed  a  little,  practiced  a  little  and  then  returning  to  Massa- 
chusettb  died  there.  Henry  Dearborn  was  a  man  of  permanent  national- 
historical  fame  as  a  Physician,  Statesman  and  Soldier. 


THIRTEEN  YEARS  AT  PORTSMOUTH        41 

Fort  Jay,  near  New  York,  to  which  you  are  hereby  appointed,  and 
report  yourself  to  the  Commanding  Officer. 
Respectfully  your  Obedient  Serv't,  H.  Deakborn." 

Such  an  order  was,  however,  far  from  Dr.  Spalding's  plans. 
He  had  already  been  serving  at  the  Forts  in  Portsmouth  Har- 
bor as  Contract  Surgeon,  and  had  been  hoping  that  in  time 
of  peace  he  could  obtain  an  appointment  in  the  Regular 
Army,  yet  remain  in  Portsmouth  and  continue  general 
practice  also.  He  may  have  replied  to  this  effect,  but  his 
letter  is  lost,  and  his  hopes  were  shattered  by  a  second  letter 
from  the  Secretary. 

"Washington,  May  3,  1802.  Dear  Sir:  Your  favor  has  been  re- 
ceived, and  I  have  to  reply  that  it  will  be  necessary  that  the  gentle- 
man who  shall  be  appointed  Surgeon's  Mate  for  the  Garrisons  in 
Portsmouth  Harbor,  will  be  obUged  to  reside  constantly  on  the 
Island  of  New  Castle.  Consequently,  the  transfer  of  yourself  to 
Fort  Constitution,  instead  of  Fort  Jay,  cannot  produce  the  effect 
which  you  desire.    Your  Ob'd't  Serv't,  Henry  Dearborn." 

Dr.  Spalding  then  offered  a  further  solution  of  the  problem 
in  this  way: 

"Portsmouth,  May  30,  1802.  Sir.  In  consequence  of  the  in- 
formation contained  in  your  favor  of  the  3d  instant,  that  it  will  be 
necessary  that  the  gentleman  who  shall  be  appointed  Surgeon's 
Mate  should  reside  constantly  on  New  Castle  Island,  I  must  beg 
leave  to  decline  the  appointment  of  Surgeon's  Mate  in  the  service 
of  the  United  States,  and  that,  wholly  from  motives  before  stated 
to  you,  for  I  should  take  great  pleasure  in  the  Service. 

In  conformity  with  Captain  Stoddard's  information  to  you,  I 
should  feel  myself  highly  honored  in  serving  my  Country  as  Acting 
Surgeon  to  the  troops  that  may  be  stationed  in  the  harbor.  Those 
services  I  wiU  engage  to  perform  for  $30  a  month,  provided  neverthe- 
less, that  when  I  am  obliged  to  go  by  land,  which  is  seven  miles 
around,  and  which  I  am  sometimes  compelled  to  by  stress  of 
weather,  I  shall  receive  a  reasonable  compensation  for  horse  hire. 
Sir,  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc.,  L.  Spalding." 

Some  agreement  was  finally  made  with  the  War  Depart- 
ment, as  proved  by  documents  in  my  possession;  one  of 
them  in  1803  showing  a  quarterly  payment  of  $300,  which 
must  have  been  welcome  to  a  young  physician. 

Dr.  Joseph  Goodhue,  a  son  of  Dr.  Joseph  Goodhue  the 
teacher  of  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  was  then  appointed  in  Dr. 
Spalding's  place,  and  stationed  at  Fort  Constitution.    He  re- 


42  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

mained  some  years  in  the  Army,  retired  about  1824,  went 
to  Alabama  for  his  health  and  died  there.  Those  who  are 
interested  in  old  Army  Lists  will  find  Dr.  Lyman  Spalding, 
still  "attached  to  Fort  Jay  in  New  York  Harbor." 

While  this  Army  affair  was  underway,  many  other  let- 
ters were  received  and  shall  now  have  proper  attention. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  November  of  the  year  1799, 
Dr.  Spalding  had  expected  to  attend  the  Chemical  Lectures 
of  Dr.  Mitchill  in  New  York  but  was  disappointed,  and  so 
informed  that  distinguished  physician.  After  some  months 
I  find  Dr.  Mitchill's  reply. 

"New  York,  March  23,  1800.    Dear  Sir:  —  Though  I  have  not 
answered  your  letter  of  November  30,  1799,  I  have  not  been  negli- 
gent of  the  matters  it  contained.    Always  desirous  of  favoring  the 
scientific  researches  going  on  in  America,  I  have  taken  care  that 
your   Edition   of   the   Nomenclature   should   be   advantageously 
noticed  in  the  "Repository"  and  to  render  the  review  more  at- 
tractive, there  are  introduced  some  new  Speculations  on  the  Com- 
position of  hght  and  Oxygenous  air.    You  will  also  find  Adams' 
Dissertation  mentioned  there  too,  after  the  manner  of  a  Brief 
Abstract,  as  long,  however,  as  the  subject  deemed  to  require. 
Your  "Nomenclature"  makes  you  talked  of.     It  is  no  longer  than 
yesterday  that  a  physician  from  Connecticut  who  called  on  me  for 
some  advice  relative  to  the  medical  education  of  his  son,  inquired 
of  me  where  Spalding's  "Nomenclature"  c^uki  be  got.    I  showed  him 
the  Copy  you  sent  me,  but  told  him  that  I  did  not  know  there  were 
any  for  sale  in  New  York.    I  hope  that  the  Booksellers  have  at- 
tended to  the  forwarding  of  your  Numbers  of  the  M.R.     The  last 
are  no  respect  inferior  to  the  best  of  the  preceding  ones.    The 
Work  is  highly  valued  in  Europe,  and  the  Editors  strive  to  render 
it  as  much  Original  and  American  as  possible.    The  Editors  of  the 
"Philosophical  Magazine"   and  of  the   "Medical  and  Physical 
Journal"  take  largely  from  it.    In  the  last  number  for  February, 
there  are  some  facts  in  corroboration  of  our  Doctrine  of  Septic 
Acid,  which  are  wonderfully  instructive,  and  very  pointed.     In 
the  one  now  in  the  Press,  and  to  be  published  May  1,  there  will  be 
more,  and  in  succeeding  numbers  more,  until  the  opposition  shall 
be  hashed.    Your  Article  of  College  Intelligence  shall  be  attended 
to.    My  Course  of  Lectures  is  just  finished.     Chemistry  was  never 
60  much  in  vogue  before  in  America,  for  even  the  ladies  attend  to 
it.    Including  these  fair  votaries  of  Science,  my  audiences  amounted 
to  more  than  forty,  which  is  double  the  number  that  ever  attended 
at  one  before.    We  have  a  piece  of  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar  here. 
It,  you  know,  is  a  mass  of  Calcareous  earth  filled  with  animal 
bones.    This  neutrahzer  of  Septic  Acid  has  kept  away  Pestilence 


THIRTEEN  YEARS  AT  PORTSMOUTH        43 

from  that  fortress,  though  it  has  sustained  so  many  sieges.  Think 
of  it,  and  so  near  to  the  Coast  of  Barbary,  too!  Bath  in  England 
is  also  constructed  on  Calcareous  earth.  Is  not  much  of  its  salub- 
rity owing  to  this  Material?  So  is  Kilkenny  in  Ireland! !  You  see, 
we  are  just  on  the  Threshold  of  Inquiry.  The  Circle  of  facts  is  too 
wide  and  too  vast  to  be  embraced  by  an  individual.  The  Town 
of  Campechy  on  the  Isthmus  of  Darien  is  built  upon  a  Limestone 
Rock,  and  there  is  a  hot  climate,  and  surrounded  by  low  lands  and 
marshes,  yet  can  only  one  Physician  procure  a  subsistence.  Yours 
with  Much  Regard,  Samuel  L.  Mitchill." 

Dr.  Nathan  Noyes  of  Newbury,  Massachusetts,  who  was 
graduated  Academically  and  Medically  from  Dartmouth  as 
we  have  seen  was  very  intimate  with  Dr.  Spalding  for 
several  years  and  wrote  to  him  interminable  letters.  In 
order  to  save  postage,  Dr.  Noyes  would  begin  on  a  sheet  of 
foolscap  and  write  till  he  was  tired,  and  later  on  add  enough' 
to  fill  the  sheet  which  was  then  forwarded  by  some  friendly 
hand.  I  will  now  insert  one  of  these  letters,  but  abbreviate 
it  as  occasion  demands. 

"Newbury,  April  17,  1800.  Friend  Spalding:  I  have  just  now 
had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  a  letter  and  a  number  of  the  Medical 
Repository.  I  am  sorry,  Sir,  to  hear  you  say,  that  "business  is 
very  dull."  I  am  sorry  for  two  reasons;  it  informs  me  of  your  ill 
fortune,  and  reminds  me  of  my  own.  Spalding,  I  cannot  conceive 
how  it  is,  that  you  so  gallantly  compliment  and  congratulate  me 
upon  success  I  never  met.  Why,  Man!  I  can  assure  you  that  I 
have  hardly  earned  a  bare  subsistence.  But  you  seem  to  have 
very  early  learnt  the  Portsmouth  Politeness  and  received  the  Sea 
Port  Polish.  Pray  do  not  outchesterfield  the  practice  of  flattery. 
When  I  wrote  you  my  sentiments  on  Kittridge^  I  considered  myself 
as  a  pleader,  rather  than  a  Judge  telling  my  own  story.  If  you 
make  proper  allowance  for  prejudice,  perhaps  you  may  yet  find  him 
rather  better  than  a  "Poor  Devil."  No,  not  much  better,  neither, 
for  the  Devil  is  certainly  as  good  as  his  humble  servant,  —  I  am 
pleased  with  the  rank  which  you  hold  in  the  esteem  and  friendship 
of  Dr.  Mitchill. 

As  for  the  books  you  mention,  I  should  be  glad  to  purchase  them 
if  the  means  were  in  my  power,  but,  as  you  have  not  mentioned  the 
expense,  it  is  impossible  for  me  at  present,  absolutely  to  decide. 
This,  however,  is  certain  from  the  number  of  Volumes,  that  unless 
they  are  small  and  come  low,  I  shall  be  unable.     Perhaps  it  may  be 

1  "Dr.  Kittridge"  puzzles  me  to  annotate,  and  would  puzzle  any 
antiquary  considering  that  there  were  about  this  time  a  dozen  Dr. 
Kittridges  practicing  in  New  England. 


44  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

worth  your  while  to  mention  the  price  in  your  next,  and,  if  this 
should  prove  beyond  my  means,  possibly  you  may  be  accomo- 
dated in  another  way.  I  feel  now  under  a  necessity  for  purchasing 
some  System  of  Chemistry.  Now,  Sir,  if  you  can  find  it  in  your 
heart  to  part  with  your  friend  Fourcroy^  or  Chaptal,  till  you  may 
find  it  convenient  replacing  him,  you  shall  receive  what  merchants 
call  a  Generous  Price.  The  bargain  may  possibly  obhge  us  both, 
for  to  confess  the  Truth,  I  have  sent  to  Boston  twice  this  Winter 
for  those  books.  If  you  intended  offering  me  the  "Annals"  and 
"Re\dew"  yearly,  there  will  one  inconvenience  attend  the  plan;  the 
necessity  of  their  coming  from  Europe  by  way  of  Boston  and  Ports- 
mouth would  destroy  half  their  value  in  the  loss  of  their  novelty 
For  you  know  that  the  excellence  of  a  periodical  medical  pubhca- 
tion  consists  in  its  handing  immediately,  a  few  improvements 
amidst  a  World  of  rubbish. 

(A  week  later  the  letter  continues :) 

I  hope.  Sir,  you  will  pardon  my  neglecting  to  send  your  "Re- 
pository" and  the  other  books  last  week.  I  received  it  on  Monday 
and  was  kept  in  one  continual  hurry  till  Thursday,  when  I  in- 
quired at  Davenport's^  a  few  moments  after  Bagley  had  started 
for  Portsmouth.  I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Smith. 
He  has  operated  several  times  with  the  trepan,  with  varying  suc- 
cess; has  amputated  one  limb,  and  operated  again  for  the  Stone; 
successfully  as  to  the  operation,  but  fatally  as  to  the  patient.  He 
has  also  a  young  daughter  which  he  says  is  "As  Handsome  as 
Ryno"  and  has  a  red  head.' 

Spalding!  I  want  advice.  Dr.  Smith  has  recommended  it  to 
me  to  publish  my  Dissertation.  I  am,  however,  somewhat  sus- 
picious that  it  will  not  be  more  for  my  literary  than  my  pecuniary 

1  Anton  Francois  Fourcroy  (1755-1809),  whose  "Collection"  Dr. 
Noyes  wished  to  purchase,  devoted  his  life  to  Chemistry,  and  lectured 
on  that  and  allied  topics  with  an  inexhaustible  gaiety  of  spirits.  Two 
years  before  his  death  he  was  shocked  by  the  appointment  of  a  rival 
to  the  Chemical  Chair  in  the  Imperial  University,  a  position  which 
seemed  to  all,  as  belonging  only  to  Fourcroy.  From  that  time  he  was 
a  broken  man,  and  just  as  Napoleon  created  him  a  Count  of  the  Em- 
pire, he  died,  as  it  were,  from  too  late  a  recognition  of  his  merits. 

2  "Davenport's"  was  the  Tavern  from  which  the  stage  set  off  for 
Portsmouth;  and  "Bagley"  was  the  stage  driver. 

'  It  is  a  pity  that  Dr.  Smith's  letter  on  trephining  is  lost.  Dr. 
Smith  never  concealed  his  failures  in  surgery,  though  many  of  them 
must  have  been  due  to  unpromising  cases,  surgical  shock  and  sepsis. 

"Ryno"  was  the  name  of  a  son,  born  some  time  before,  and  named, 
as  I  have  believed,  from  a  mythical  fairy-Uke  creature  in  the  Poems  of 
Oasian,  of  which  Mrs.  Smith  was  fond.  The  young  daughter  was 
Sally  Malvina. 


THIRTEEN  YEARS  AT  PORTSMOUTH        45 

advancement.  Now  I  know  that  you  did  not  use  to  sacrifice 
friendship  to  flattery  and  if  you  can  for  a  moment  lay  aside  your 
newly  acquired  polish  so  as  to  give  your  real  opinion  of  said  Dis- 
sertation, and  its  pubUcation,  you  will  be  entitled  to  my  gratitude. 
But,  remember,  that  a  character  for  good  judgment  is  of  more  im- 
portance than  a  character  for  poUteness  to  a  Professor  of  Chem- 
istry, and  that  politeness  is  measured  by  true  benevolence  rather 
than  flattery,  with  your  Humble  Servant,  N.  Notes." 

A  second  letter  from  Dr.  Noyes  shows  surgical  invention 
and  ingenuity  in  an  Emergency  Case. 

Newburyport,  July  13,  1800.  Sir.  You  will  see  by  the  enclosed, 
that  your  conmaand  of  Tuesday  was  complied  with  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, but  the  fatahty  was,  that  Davenport  through  excess  of  busi- 
ness forgot  to  put  the  book  on  board  the  stage  according  to  promise. 
I  am  very  sorry.  Sir,  for  the  accident,  but  hope  that  it  will  all  end 
well  yet.  .  .  .  Since  writing  so  far,  an  accident  has  occurred  which 
may  serve  to  give  you  some  idea  of  the  present  state  of  the  practice 
of  physick  in  Newbury.  ...  I  was  caUed  in  the  night  to  visit  a 
patient  affected  with  ischury.  The  tension  of  the  bladder  and 
abdomen  was  so  great  that  he  could  not  lie  nor  sit,  and  his  im- 
patience such,  that  he  would  not  stand  half  a  minute  in  any  one 
position.  He  said,  that  he  had  strained  himself  when  at  labor  and 
had  passed  a  great  deal  of  bloody  water.  Blood  was  drawn  by 
me  tin  faintness  came  on,  and  his  water  began  to  flow. 

The  patient  being  now  at  ease  a  more  strict  examination  was 
commenced.  The  blood,  he  confessed,  flowed  first,  and  then  the 
water  followed.  This  led  to  the  discovery  of  his  having  a  disease 
three  years  before,  from  which  time  a  difficulty  of  making  water 
had  gradually  increased  tiU  a  fortnight  ago,  when  a  perfect  ischury 
came  on.  This  induced  him  to  pass  a  goose  quill,  till  a  hemorrhage 
came  on.  Our  best  physician  was  then  sent  for,  informed  of  the 
circumstances,  bled  him,  bathed  his  feet  in  warm  water  and  left 
him  to  his  fate.  I  found  that  his  bladder  had  not  been  completely 
evacuated  for  a  fortnight  and  with  my  fingers  discovered  an  ob- 
struction in  the  passage.  A  Bougie  was  now  to  be  sought  for:  the 
apothecaries  had  none;  the  physicians  had  wanted  none;  a  physi- 
cian who  died  here  four  years  ago  had  said  that  even  the  great 
Swett*  had  been  unable  to  make  them.    However,  undismayed  by 

1  "The  great  Swett,'  Dr.  John  Barnard  Swett  (1741-1798),  was  in- 
tended for  the  ministry,  but  after  graduating  from  Harvard  in  1771, 
happened  to  attend  a  Necropsy  and  was  attracted  at  once  to  medicine. 
He  studied  abroad  with  Dr.  Cullen,  went  to  sea  as  Ship's  Surgeon  on  a 
voyage  to  the  Falkland  Islands,  and  served  duriag  the  Revolution  on 
the  ill-fated  "Penobscot  Expedition."  He  then  settled  in  Newbury, 
and  died  during  an  epidemic  of  Yellow  Fever.    The  epitaph  upon  his 


46  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

these  discouragements  I  went  home,  took  up  mj'  lead  ladle,  and 
returned  to  my  patient  with  a  set  of  leaden  bougies.  One  was  in- 
troduced without  much  diflficulty,  and  when  withdrawn,  was  fol- 
lowed freely  by  the  water.  After  the  introduction  of  the  second 
one,  the  patient  declared  himself  as  well  as  ever  he  was  in  his  life. 
But,  here  is  the  Point.  Why  had  our  Apothecaries  never  been 
called  upon  for  bougies?  Why  had  our  Physicians  never  wanted 
them?  But  stop!  I  have  not  perhaps  done  perfect  justice  yet. 
I  did  not  call  on  ALL  my  medical  brethren,  and  one  of  those  on 
whom  I  did,  had  some  old  pieces  of  waxen  bougie,  which  had 
been  given  him  by  a  patient  and  one  which  he  had  introduced.  .  .  . 
Please  to  communicate  to  me  whatever  you  hear  from  others,  or 
observe  yourself  concerning  the  practice  of  our  profession.  It 
seems  to  me  that  there  is  not  yet  sufficient  freedom  of  Communi- 
cation between  physicians.  We  are  traveling  a  rough  and  crooked 
road,  and  find  it  sufficiently  difficult,  if  we  assist  each  other  all  we 
can    With  Esteem  and  Respects,  I  remain.  Yours,  N.  Noyes." 

A  letter  next  in  date  to  the  one  from  Dr.  Noyes  came  from 
President  Wheelock  of  Dartmouth  and  was  handed  to  Dr. 
Spalding  by  a  very  famous  Hanoverian,  Peyton  Randolph 
Freeman^  as  Dr.  Spalding's  endorsement  shows. 

It  would  seem  from  President  Wheelock's  letter  that  Dr. 
Lynn,  who  I  am  unable  to  identify,  has  asked  through  Dr. 
Spalding  how  to  send  a  son  to  Dartmouth.  Parents  of 
today  will  be  surprised  at  the  infinitesmal  expenses  of  the 
students  of  that  era. 

"Dartmouth  College,  June  3,  1800.  Dear  Sir:  I  embrace  the 
earhest  opportunity  to  acknowledge  your  favour  of  the  17th  ult. 
which  has  just  come  to  hand  on  the  subject  which  the  worthy  Dr. 
Lynn  communicated  to  you  respecting  the  education  of  liis  son. 
As  his  letter  was  directed  to  you,  and  as  I  have  not  the  happiness 

tomb-stone  says:  "This  accomplished,  learned  and  amiable  Physician 
was  torn  from  a  Bleeding  Family,  and  an  extensive  circle  of  Lamenting 
Friends,  falling  a  Sacrifice  to  his  fidelity  in  the  exercise  of  a  Laborious 
and  Hazardous  Profession." 

1  Mr.  Freeman  (1775-1868)  was  graduated  from  Dartmouth  in 
1796,  was  clerk  of  coiuts  and  practiced  law  in  Portsmouth  for  more 
than  forty  years.  He  then  retired  to  Hanover,  where  he  had  been 
bom.  Little  did  I  think  when  I  was  at  Dartmouth  in  the  Class  of  1866 
and  saw  "Old  Freeman"  slouching  across  the  Campus,  that  he  was  a 
contemporary,  attorney  for,  and  a  personal  friend,  of  my  grandfather, 
and  could  have  told  me  a  great  deal  about  him,  had  I  only  had  common 
sense  enough  to  ask  him  some  questions  concerning  the  past.  Grand- 
father was,  however,  much  farther  away  from  me  in  1862  than  he  is 
fifty  years  later. 


THIRTEEN  YEARS  AT  PORTSMOUTH        47 

of  a  personal  acquaintance  with  him,  I  have  thought  it  might  not 
be  improper  to  communicate  to  you  an  answer  to  his  queries. 

The  preparatory  studies  for  the  Junior  Standing  at  this  Uni- 
versity, are  the  EngUsh  Language,  Kaim's  Elements  of  Criticism, 
Virgil,  Tully's  Oration,  the  Greek  Testament;  one  or  two  books  of 
Homer,  Arithmetic,  Trigonometry,  etc.,  Geography,  Logic  and 
Tully  De  Oratory.  These  are  the  regular  Classics  (together  with 
composition)  attended  to  here,  as  the  primary  studies  in  reference 
to  the  object  in  view;  though  there  have  been  some  instances  of 
our  receiving  members  to  that  Standing  who  have  not  attended 
according  to  our  rules  to  all  those  identical  authors,  provided  that 
they  had  obtained  from  other  writers,  and  instructions,  an  equiva- 
lent knowledge,  in  the  different  branches  referred  to. 

Our  Commencement  is  on  the  Fourth  Wednesday  in  August;  a 
vacation  extending  from  Commencement,  4|  weeks,  and  another 
vacation  beginning  the  first  Monday  in  January  and  extending 
8  and  |  weeks.    We  have  only  these  two  vacations  a  year. 

We  occasionally  admit  youth  to  the  Standings  to  which  they 
shall  be  judged  on  examination  to  be  qualified  at  the  different 
seasons  of  the  year  but  our  ordinary  and  Stated  times  for  admission 
are  on  Commencement  week,  and  on  the  first  week  in  October;  at 
one  of  which  times  it  will  be  most  for  the  Uterary  advantage  of  youth 
who  are  to  be  received.  .  .  .  Besides  the  classical  studies  which  I 
have  noted,  there  are  PubUc  Instructions,  Lectures  and  Exercises  in 
common  to  the  different  classes.  .  .  .  Particular  regard  is  paid  to 
the  AppUcation  and  Moral  Condition  of  the  members. 

In  regard  to  the  annual  amount  of  the  expenses  of  individual 
members.  The  tuition,  16  Dollars  which  sum  is  divided  into  three 
terms  of  payment.  The  members  all  board  in  private  famihes  of 
good  morals,  and  the  price  is  frojn  $1  to  $L50  cents  per  week,  ac- 
cording as  they  shall  choose  to  agree.  The  whole  aimual  ordinary 
expenses  of  an  individual  student  including  board,  tuition,  room, 
wood  and  contingents  may  amount  to  about  |100,  excepting 
clothes  and  traveling  and  pocket  money,  which  will  be  but  trifling. 
I  fix  the  estimate  on  a  decent  economical  plan,  though  some  spend 
more  and  some,  by  frugaUty,  go  through  with  less. 

Sir,  I  have  answered  the  questions  that  naturally  arise  from 
your  communications  in  behalf  of  T>r.  Lynn  and  have  been  more 
particular  that  any  query  might  be  solved,  that  should  arise  in 
detail  under  the  respective  heads.  You  will  please  to  make  such 
use  of  the  contents  of  this  letter  as  you  may  think  proper  for  the 
information  of  the  respectable  gentleman  who  wrote  to  you.  And 
should  he  conclude  to  send  his  son  to  this  university  to  finish  his 
literary  education,  I  shall  with  the  greatest  pleasure  do  everything 
in  my  power  for  his  usefulness  and  happiness. 

I  remain  with  best  wishes,  Dear  Sir,  Your  most  obedient  and 
humble  Servant,  John  Wheelock." 


48  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

The  Autumn  of  1800  was  now  near  at  hand  and  Dr. 
Spalding  was  called  upon  to  decide  an  important  question: 
Should  he  continue  to  lecture  at  Dartmouth  two  months  in 
eveiy  year,  and  sacrifice  his  practice,  or  should  he  resign 
and  lose  the  opportunities  for  study  attached  to  the  lecture- 
ship? 

Whilst  meditating  which  step  to  take,  Vaccination  was 
introduced  into  the  United  States,  and  had  much  to  do  with 
his  decision  to  resign  the  Lectureship  and  to  devote  his 
time  to  the  advancement  of  the  great  discovery.  Before, 
however,  substantiating  what  he  did  to  promote  vaccination, 
the  letters  showing  the  severance  of  his  connection  with 
Dartmouth  may  here  find  place. 

The  first  letter  in  1800  concerning  the  Lectureship  is  from 
Dr.  Smith,  and  suggests  that  Dr.  Spalding  had  made  some 
sort  of  an  offer  to  deliver  lectures  as  before. 

"Hanover,  September  8,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  In  consequence  of 
your  communication  to  President  Wheelock  made  a  few  days  be- 
fore our  late  Commencement,  he  presented  the  Honorable  Board 
of  Trustees  with  your  proposals,  who  were  unanimously  of  opinion 
that  they  could  not  agree  to  your  proposals  respecting  Lecturing 
on  Chemistry.  They  however  agreed  to  help  me  to  pay  you  for 
the  money  expended  on  the  Apparatus.  I  am  now  in  haste  at  this 
moment,  being  called  in  a  very  urgent  trepaning  case,  but  as 
Captain  McClure^  was  going  direct  to  Portsmouth  could  not  omit 
givdng  you  the  earliest  information  of  what  the  Board  had  de- 
termined. But,  you  must  not  accept  this  as  the  whole  of  what 
I  have  to  write  you  as  soon  as  I  can  sit  down,  which  I  have 
not  quietly  done  for  several  weeks.  I  will  then  make  you  a  long 
letter  on  particulars.  ...  I  am  with  respect,  Yours  etc.,  Nathan 
Smith." 

On  the  following  day  President  Wheelock  wrote  on  the 
same  subject. 

"Dartmouth  College,  September  9,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  Your 
favor  of  the  2d  ult.  came  to  hand  before  the  setting  of  the  Board. 

^  Captain  Samuel  McClure  came  to  Hanover  from  Hebron,  Con- 
necticut, about  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution,  and  was  the  Village 
Barber,  a  position  of  great  consequence  in  those  days  of  wigs,  and  daily 
shaving.  McClure  commanded  a  company  of  soldiers  during  the 
Revolution,  and  took  part  in  many  expeditions.  When  the  war  waa 
over  he  served  as  Postmaster  at  Hanover,  and  finally  left  the  town 
about  1807.  I  do  not  find  his  name  in  Army  Lists,  and  think  that  his 
title  was  from  his  Revolutionary  services  only. 


THIRTEEN  YEARS  AT  PORTSMOUTH        49 

They  were  fully  satisfied  and  approved  of  your  former  attention, 
as  Lecturer  in  the  Chemical  department,  and  wished,  that  you 
could  have  found  it  consistent  to  continue  in  the  manner  proposed. 
They  were  of  opinion,  that  four  weeks,  or  less,  would  be  too  short 
a  time  to  go  through  the  whole  course  of  fifty  lectures,  with  experi- 
ments and  explanations;  as  the  members  would  not  have  sufficient 
opportunity  to  attend  them  with  their  classical  studies.^  They  are 
sorry  that  it  cannot  comport  with  your  business  to  spend  longer 
time  here  with  the  students  in  that  branch,  but  as  you  have  found 
it  inadmissable,  they  wish  so  far  as  they  can  consistently,  to  facili- 
tate your  desire,  and  accordingly  they  have  directed  their  agent  to 
assist,  so  soon  as  the  finances  of  the  College  will  possibly  admit, 
the  medical  Professor  ^  in  paying  a  sum,  which,  in  addition  to  Fifty 
Dollars,  will  amount  to  the  cost  you  have  been  at  in  your  apparatus 
as  laid  before  them  by  the  Secretary.  The  said  Fifty  Dollars  the 
medical  professor  said  he  had  made  arrangements  to  settle.  Thus 
the  Board,  in  consequence  of  your  apphcation,  have  done  what 
they  could  consistently  to  accomodate  matters  agreeably  to  you. 
I  shall  be  always  happy  to  hear  of  your  health,  and  with  best 
wishes  for  your  prosperity,  I  remain.  Dear  Sir,  Your  Sincere  Friend 
and  Humble  Servant,  John  Wheelock." 

A  few  days  later,  Dr.  Spalding  went  a  step  farther  toward 
resigning  and  wrote  to  his  friend  and  Attorney,  William 
Woodward  as  follows : 

"Portsmouth,  September  17,  1800.  To  Wm.  Woodward, 
Esquire,  Dear  Sir:  I  am  dead,  not  unto  sin,  but  unto  Dartmouth 
College.  Dr.  Smith  has  written  me  that  "the  Honorable,  the 
Board  have  agreed  to  help  me  ("Dr.  Smith")  to  pay  you,  for  the 
money  expended  on  the  apparatus."  I  carmot  construe  this  other- 
wise than  that  the  money  is  to  pass  through  Dr.  Smith's  hands. 
To  this  I  have  no  objection.  You  will  therefore  receive  and  re- 
ceipt for  the  amount  of  the  bills  by  you  presented,  and  transmit 
it  by  mail  to  me.  You  wiU  also  wait  on  Dr.  Smith  and  with  or 
without  him,  take  an  inventory  of  every  article,  the  quantity,  etc., 
that  is  contained  in  the  Laboratory;  this  you  must  be  very  par- 
ticular in  doing  to  the  satisfaction  of  all.  Whatever  money  you 
have  collected  and  not  appropriated,  you  wiU  forthwith  transmit 

^  "Their  Classical  Studies"  means  that  the  college  students  at- 
tended the  lectures  on  Chemistry. 

2  "The  Medical  Professor"  was  Dr.  Smith,  whose  salary,  by  the 
way,  was  $200  a  year,  with  tickets  extra. 

The  low  state  of  the  College  finances  is  worth  notiag  here,  for  all 
that  Dr.  Spalding  expected  from  the  college  in  addition  to  the  $50  from 
Dr.  Smith  was  $81;  and  even  that  the  College  was  unable  then  to 
pay. 


50  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

to  me.  All  the  papers,  pamphlets,  etc.,  which  are  to  be  found  in 
the  Laboratory  you  will  carry  to  and  preserve  in  your  ofl&ce,  for 
Your  friend  and  obedient  servant,  L.  Spalding." 

On  the  very  same  day,  however,  after  forwarding  this 
letter  to  Mr.  Woodward,  Dr.  Spalding  seems  to  have  changed 
his  mind  as  appears  from  the  following  draft  of  a  letter  to 
President  Wheelock. 

"Portsmouth,  September  17th,  1800.  Sir.  Yours  of  the  8th 
instant  is  before  me.  The  resolve  of  the  Honorable,  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Dartmouth  College  is  not  only  agreeable  to  my  wishes, 
but  favorable  to  my  interest.  I  shall  just  observe  that  having 
made  arrangements,  both  in  business  and  in  my  MSS  lectures,  for 
dehvering  the  ensuing  course,  the  term  of  "four  weeks"  will  not 
be  so  strenuously  insisted  upon  for  the  present  year.  I  will  consent 
to  tarry  so  long  as  shall  give  satisfaction  to  my  hearers,  and  au- 
thority; provided  that  the  term  be  anything  less  than  ten  weeks, 
for  at  that  term  I  should  be  a  great  loser.  After  this  course  I  have 
not  the  most  distant  wish  to  spend  ten  weeks  at  Hanover  every 
year  and  will  then  cheerfully  give  place  to  the  man  who  is  in- 
finitely better  qualified  to  give  Chemical  Lectures  than  myself. 

If  these  ideas  should  be  perfectly  agreeable  to  yourseK  and 
others  in  authority,  I  should  be  gratified  in  dehvering  the  ensuing 
course  of  Chemical  Lectures,  but  if  otherwise,  I  have  not  the  most 
distant  wish  to  disoblige  you  in  any  particular.  I  shall  await  your 
answer  to  this,  and  be  governed  wholly  by  it.  In  the  meantime  I 
shall  suspend  arrangements.^ 

Sir,  Your  Obedient  Servant,  L.  Spalding. 

P.  S.  I  have  written  to  Mr.  W.,  my  agent,  to  call  on  Dr.  Smith 
to  assist  in  making  an  inventory  of  all  my  furniture,  ingredients  for 
experiments,  etc.,  in  the  Laboratory  at  Dartmouth  College,  for 
many  things  are  not  mentioned  in  the  biUs  presented.  To  the 
Honorable  Board,  I  shall  look  for  the  amount  of  those  bills  pre- 
sented, and  not  to  Dr.  Smith.  Of  you,  I  shall  expect  payment  for 
all  the  other  articles  contained  in  the  Laboratory.  Also,  you  must 
conceive  yourself  under  obligations  to  be  accountable  for  the 
Chemical  Ware  which  Dr.  Bartlett  has  sent  on  my  account.  I 
have  noted  these  Generals^  that  you  may  see  what  my  expecta- 
tions are." 

The  next  letter  from  Dr.  Smith  is  unusually  felicitous.  All 
of  his  letters  were  written  hurriedly  and  many  sentences  go 
begging  for  Capitals,  but  they  are  very  legible,  although  most 

1  "Suspend  arrangements"  would  mean  that  he  would  do  nothing 
until  hearing  from  Hanover. 

2  "Generals"  hints  at  " Particular  Items"  to  be  mentioned  later  on. 


THIRTEEN  YEARS  AT  PORTSMOUTH        51 

of  them  look  as  if  he  had  plunged  a  bit  of  wood  into  the  ink- 
bottle  and  written  by  the  light  of  a  tallow  candle. 

"Dear  Sir:  —  Yours  of  the  17th  instant  has  just  come  to  hand. 
I  am  happy  to  learn  that  you  are  not  disappointed  in  what  the 
Honorable  Board  of  Trust  for  Dartmouth  College  have  done  re- 
specting your  proposals  made  in  your  letter  to  President  Wheelock. 
From  what  I  had  previously  learned  of  your  increasing  business  at 
Portsmouth,  I  had  concluded  that  their  determination  would  not 
mihtate  against  your  wishes  or  interest.  Respecting  your  property 
in  the  Laboratory  it  is  necessary  that  I  give  you  some  information. 
When  the  Bill  of  your  expenses  for  the  Laboratory  was  presented 
by  Wilham  Woodward,  Esquire  to  the  Honorable  Board  of  Trus- 
tees, they  called  on  me  for  an  explanation  of  the  business.  The 
first  inquiry  was:  whether  either  you  or  I  had  any  legal  right  to 
tax  them  with  the  expenses  of  the  Laboratory.  On  this  point  I 
was  obliged  to  acknowledge  we  had  not,  but  observed  that  it  was 
reasonable  that  the  College  should  do  something  to  support  such 
an  important  Institution,  and  that  I  felt  myself  under  obhgations 
of  honour  to  see  that  you  did  not  suffer  in  your  property,  on  ac- 
count of  what  you  had  done  for  the  Institution  by  procuring  a 
Laboratory,  providing  that  you  should  not  continue  to  use  and  profit 
by  it,  and  therefore,  hoped  for  some  assistance  from  the  Honorable 
Board,  as  it  would  be  very  inconvenient  for  me  to  make  out  the 
money  to  pay  your  Bill.  I  readily  engaged  to  repay  you  for  the 
Glass  Apparatus  which  you  purchased  of  me,  which  would  reduce 
the  BiU  to  181,  which  the  Honorable  Board  have  given  me  en- 
couragement of  receiving  from  them  by  a  Loan,  to  be  repaid  when 
called  for.  This  is  all  the  College  have  done  about  paying  your 
Bill,  and  by  this  statement  you  will  see,  that  it  is  I,  who  purchase 
the  Laboratory, 

Now,  Sir,  you  see  the  situation  of  the  business  between  us  and 
the  College  and  between  you  and  me. 

Respecting  your  last  proposal,  I  will  observe  (and  choose  you; 
of  three  things).  That  you  are  at  liberty  to  continue  in  the  business 
of  lecturing  according  to  the  Institution;  or  you  may  relinquish 
the  business  now  and  receive  pay  for  your  Laboratory;  or  you  may 
deliver  the  ensuing  course  of  Lectures  on  Chemistry  and  then 
relinquish  the  business.  But,  in  the  latter  case  I  shall  not  hold 
myself  under  any  obligations  to  purchase  your  Laboratory  or  any 
part  of  it.  Perhaps  I  may  want  some  part  of  it,  but  will  not  be 
obligated  to  do  it. 

I  presume  you  will  at  once  see  the  propriety  of  my  proposals, 
and  the  necessity  of  a  speedy  decision  on  the  subject,  as  the  time 
for  commencing  the  present  course  of  lectures  is  at  hand,  and  we 
have  much  need  of  time  for  making  preparations  for  it.  I  am  very 
happy  to  hear  that  you  have  by  dint  of  merit  acquired  a  good  share 


52  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

of  honest  fame  in  your  Profession  and  that  your  business  is  grow- 
ing lucrative.  I  am,  with  sentiments  of  Esteem,  your  Friend  and 
Servant,  Nathan  Smith. 

Hanover,  September  30,  1800. 

P.  S.  I  have  no  objections  to  being  accountable  to  Dr.  Bartlett 
for  the  Chemical  Ware,  which  he  may  procure  for  you,  if  it  does 
not  amount  to  a  large  sum,  beyond  my  abihties  to  pay,  if  you  re- 
linquish the  business  now." 

Before  this  letter  reached  Portsmouth,  Dr.  Spalding  was 
again  writing  to  President  Wheelock. 

"Portsmouth,  October  1st,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  Yours  of  the  9th 
ult.  was  duly  received,  and  although  it  does  not  require  an  answer, 
yet  Mr.  Pejrton  Freeman  being  in  town,  I  do  myself  the  pleasure 
of  returning  you  my  grateful  acknowledgements  for  the  many 
favors  conferred  on  me.  I  shall  think  myself  higlily  honored  in 
the  Friendship  of  the  President  of  Dartmouth  College. 

The  resolve  of  the  Honorable  Board  was  communicated  to  me 
by  my  friend.  Dr.  Smith,  in  his  letter  of  the  8th  ult.  to  which  I 
have  rephed  and  presume  you  must  have  seen  it. 

I  have  ordered  W.  Woodward,  my  agent,  to  receive  of  the  Finan- 
cier the  sum  due  me  for  fitting  up  the  Laboratory. 

I  here  enclose  the  "New  Hampshire  Gazette"  containing  a  Card 
of  mine  on  the  Kine-Pox.  This  inoculation  bids  fair  to  become 
general  among  us.  I  have  inoculated  a  number  of  the  first  families 
in  the  town.  You  see  I  have  had  the  infection  but  one  day.  No 
one  doubts  its  being  a  preventive  of  the  Small  Pox ;  a  fighter  disease, 
and  not  contagious.  With  due  Respect,  Yours  Sincerely.  Lyman 
Spalding." 

Dr.  Smith's  former  letter  of  the  30th  September  reached 
Dr.  Spalding  on  the  12th  day  of  October.  Vaccination  newly 
introduced  into  America  was  urgent  in  its  demands.  Dr.  Smith 
had  offered  him  three  alternatives  and  on  the  14th  he  thus 
resigned  his  Lectureship  in  the  Dartmouth  Medical  School. 

"Portsmouth,  October  14,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  Yours  of  the  30th 
ult.  was  duly  received.  I  can  only  thank  you  for  these  and  your 
repeated  acts  of  friendship  and  hope  that  I  may  long  remain  sensi- 
ble of  your  gratitude.  The  conditions  of  my  resignation  are  these : 
that  Dr.  Smith  pay  to  me  the  expenses  which  I  have  been  at  in 
fitting  up  the  Laboratory  in  Dartmouth  College,  as  proposed  in 
his  letter  of  the  30th  ult. 

THEREFORE !  1 

Be  it  known,  that  I,  Lyman  Spalding,  do  this  14th  day  of  October 
A.D.  1800,  resign  the  office  of  Lecturer  on  Chemistry  and  Materia 
Medica  in  Dartmouth  University.    Lyman  Spalding." 


CHAPTER  V. 

Introduction  of  Vaccination. 

Just  as  soon  as  Dr.  Spalding  learned  from  the  newspapers 
that  Dr.  Benjamin  Waterhouse  had  received  from  Edward 
Jenner  late  in  July,  1800,  the  first  supply  of  "Infection" 
ever  arriving  in  America  and  with  it  had  vaccinated  the 
children  with  whom  he  had  played  at  Cambridge,  his  in- 
terest was  excited,  and  he  wrote  to  Dr.  Waterhouse  for  a 
supply.  He  also  suggested  that  persons  once  vaccinated 
should  be  exposed  to  small  pox  patients  in  hospitals,  and  to 
this  suggestion  Dr.  Waterhouse  replied  as  follows: 

"Cambridge,  September  6,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  This  is  the  first 
leisure  I  have  had  to  answer  your  letter  of  the  25th  ult.  You  say 
you  are  about  opening  a  Small  Pox  Hospital,  and  that  you  wish  to 
inoculate  also  for  the  Kine  Pox.  Now  my  advice  to  you  is  not  to 
attempt  bringing  the  two  diseases  together  in  the  same  or  con- 
tiguous buildings,  for  the  reasons  adduced  in  my  Treatise  on  the 
Kine  Pox.  Mr.  Nancrede,  who  published  the  work,  tells  me  that 
he  shall  send  some  to  a  Bookseller  in  Portsmouth  by  Monday 
next.  That  work  contains  all  I  know  on  the  subject.  Will  you 
ask  Judge  Livermore^  whether  he  wishes  his  son  to  have  the  Kine 
Pox  in  the  approaching  vacation  with  several  others?  Ten  or 
twelve  daj^s  carries  them  through  the  whole.  He  expressed  a  wish 
to  me  to  that  effect.  Please  to  remember  me  to  Colonel  and  Mrs. 
Brewster,^  and  tell  them  I  shall  write  to  them  next  week  and  send 
the  book  I  promised. 

In  haste,  I  remain  your  Humble  Servant,  Benjamin  Water- 
house." 

^  Judge  Livermore  was  Edward  St.  Loe  Livermore  (1762-1832),  a 
distinguished  resident  of  Portsmouth,  whose  name  is  perpetuated 
to  this  day  by  Livermore  Street  which  bounds  the  Haven  Park.  He 
had  an  honorary  degree  from  Dartmouth  in  1800,  was,  like  others  of 
his  name,  very  prominent  at  the  New  Hampshire  Bar,  in  Congress  and 
on  the  State  Bench.  The  son,  whom  Dr.  Waterhouse  wished  to  vacci- 
nate, was  Solomon  Kidder  Livermore,  a  sophomore  at  Harvard  in  the 
class  of  1802.     He  died  in  1859  after  an  excellent  career  at  the  Bar. 

2  Colonel  and  Mrs.  William  Brewster  kept  the  famous  "Bell"  Tavern 
in  Portsmouth  and  were  highly  respected  personages  in  their  time. 
Colonel  Brewster  belonged  to  a  very  old  family,  and  died  in  1818,  aged 
77.   He  was  an  old-fashioned  Landlord,  a  friend  to  all  of  his  guests. 

53 


54  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Dr.  Spalding  made  immediate  answer  to  Dr.  Waterhouse 
and  had  by  return  post  this  second  letter : 

"Cambridge,  September  6,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  I  have  only  time 
to  say  that  I  have  received  your  second  letter  and  that  I  will  ac- 
comodate you  with  the  "matter,"  etc.,  at  the  same  pay  which  has 
been  offered  to  me,  but  I  declined,  namely,  for  One  Quarter  of  the 
profit  arising  from  the  inoculation,  and  the  contract  to  remain  for 
14  months  from  this  time.  Abandon  the  idea  of  inoculating  for 
small  pox  and  throw  all  your  attention  to  the  Kine  Pox.  If  this 
idea  suits  you  and  Dr.  Cutter,^  you  shall  be  accomodated  at  once, 
for  half  a  dozen  practitioners  stand  ready  to  jump  at  that  offer, 
and  two  of  them  are  not  a  very  great  distance  from  you.  In  haste, 
I  am,  Yours,  etc.    Benjamin  Waterhouse. 

P.  S.    Sam  B.2  is  in  a  fair  way  of  being  hooted  out  of  Boston." 

On  a  scrap  of  paper  I  find  a  copy  of  Dr.  Spalding's  reply 
to  this  last  letter : 

"Portsmouth,  September  10,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  The  terms  are 
accepted,  and  I  promise  that  you  shall  have  One  Quarter  Part  of 
the  next  profit  arising  from  my  inoculation  with  the  kine  pox  for 
the  space  of  14  months,  provided  it  be  not  made  pubhc  before  that 
term  expires,  and  then  the  contract  to  remain  in  full  force  only  to 
the  time  of  its  becoming  public.  However,  on  your  part  it  is 
expected  that  the  lilce  privilege  will  not  be  granted  to  others  in  my 
vicinity.    Yours,  etc.,  L.  Spalding." 

In  other  words,  we  have  here  a  "Vaccination  Trust." 
No  wonder  that  the  younger  man  accepted  the  offer  coming 

1  "Dr.  Cutter"  may  be  either  the  distinguished  father,  or  the  well- 
known  son  of  that  name,  both  noted  physicians  of  Portsmouth. 

Ammi  Ruhamah  Cutter,  the  father  (1735-1820),  was  graduated 
from  Harvard  in  the  class  of  1752  with  Sir  John  Wentworth,  Royal 
Governor  of  the  Province,  and  whose  intimate  friend  and  body  physician 
he  remained  for  years.  Dr.  Cutter  served  with  great  distinction  during 
both  the  Colonial  and  Revolutionary  Wars  and  then  settled  in  Ports- 
mouth, where  he  practiced  the  rest  of  his  life.  More  intimate  details 
of  his  life  may  be  found  in  Kelly's  "Cyclopoedia  of  American  Physi- 
cians." 

"Dr.  WiUiam,"  Cutter,  his  son,  practiced  in  Portsmouth.  He  was 
charming,  witty,  much  given  to  persiflage  and  to  flirtations  with  his 
women  patients,  who  "made  a  great  deal  of  him,"  as  the  saying  runs. 

Dr.  Waterhouse  was,  as  we  can  see,  opposed  to  giving  "matter"  to 
Dr.  Spalding,  the  youngest  physician  in  town,  and  insisted  on  a  part- 
nership with  an  older  man. 

2  "Sam  B"  (Brown)  was  Dr.  Spalding's  classmate  at  Harvard,  but 
what  he  had  done  to  be  hooted  out  of  Boston,  I  have  so  far  failed  to 
discover. 


LETTER   FROM   DR.  WATERHOUSE  SUGGESTING  THE  VACCINATION   "TRUST" 


INTRODUCTION  OF  VACCINATION  55 

from  the  Professor  of  Theory  in  the  Harvard  Medical 
School,  for  up  to  that  date  he  alone  possessed  the  "Infec- 
tion" direct  from  Jenner. 

The  next  letter  from  Dr.  Waterhouse  shows  that  Dr.  Sam 
Brown  had  been  following  up  the  patients  vaccinated  by 
Dr.  Waterhouse  with  a  view  to  discovering  if  "scabs"  from 
their  arms  could  not  be  utihzed  to  vaccinate  his  own  patients 
as  efficiently  as  to  wait  for  a  supply  of  the  genuine  "infec- 
tion" from  Dr.  Jenner. 

"Cambridge,  September  12,  1800.  Yours  of  the  19th  informs 
me  that  you  accede  to  my  proposal  "provided  it  he  not  made  public 
before  that  time  expires."  Now  that  is  too  vague  to  proceed  on. 
Sam  Brown  may  steal  it  before  a  month  expires,  and  then  in  six 
months  it  may  be  diffused  over  Boston,  or  it  may  not.  I  therefore 
propose,  that  the  term  shall  be  for  twelve  months  and  that  will 
leave  you  to  yourself  during  the  tln-ee  autumn  months  of  1801. 
You,  however,  will  have  got  the  start  of  all  others,  so  much  that  no 
one  can  rival  you  entirely;  besides  it  will  fix  you  in  business.  My 
fee  is  Five  Dollars.  You  must  engage  not  to  supply  any  other 
practitioner.  Your  acceeding  to  this  will  fetch  the  infection  next 
post.  If  you  wish  to  come  and  see  the  disease,  and  my  practice, 
you  shall  have  that  in  the  bargain.    Yours,  B.  Waterhouse. 

P.  S.  I  have  a  similar  appHcation  from  Amherst  in  your  State 
and  another  from  a  young  Doctor  going  to  settle  at  Hampton. 
But,  if  Dr.  Cutter  and  you  and  I  make  the  contract  proposed,  this 
gentleman  shall  not  be  supplied.  I  will  supply  none  within  twenty 
or  thirty  miles  of  you,  and  perhaps  further." 

To  and  fro  the  letters  fly,  the  older  man  hanging  off  for 
more  pay  and  anxious  that  an  older  physician  shall  join 
hands  with  Dr.  Spalding  in  order  that  the  percentages  to 
Dr.  Waterhouse  shall  be  larger,  whilst  Dr.  Spalding  is  eager 
to  be  the  only  vaccinator  in  Portsmouth  and  so  to  increase 
his  own  renown  by  being  first  in  the  field. 

Here  we  have  an  undated  letter  from  Dr.  Spalding. 

"Dear  Sir:  When  I  wrote  you  last  I  had  not  seen  your  letter  in 
the  "Centinel."  I  applaud  your  policy  of  making  a  few  Guineas 
for  yourself,  considering  what  pains  you  have  taken  in  procuring 
and  experimenting  upon  the  Kine  Pox.  Now,  Sir,  far  from  in- 
oculating gratis,  or  endeavoring  to  procure  the  Infection  by  stealth, 
if  you  will  permit  me  to  inoculate,  I  will  give  you  ten  per  cent  upon 
the  fees  received  for  it,  till  you  shall,  or  by  other  means,  and  not 
through  my  carelessness,  it  shall  be  made  public.  If  these  terms 
coincide  with  your  ideas,  you  will  forward  the  infection  IMME- 


56  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

DIATELY,  for  "Now  is  the  appointed  time"  and  I  promise  you 
shall  receive  yom*  premium  without  the  least  shadow  of  fraud. 
With  Fidehty,  Lyman  Spalding. 

P.  S.  Pray  how  do  you  obhgate  your  patient  to  prevent  the  in- 
fection being  taken  from  their  pustules!  ! 

N.  B.  I  expect  that  the  same  privilege  will  not  be  granted  to 
any  other  person  in  this  vicinity!" 

When  Dr.  Waterhouse  saw  from  this  note,  that  nothing 
was  said  about  Dr.  Cutter,  as  a  partner,  he  insisted  upon 
that  physician  taking  part  in  the  work  or  the  chance  would 
be  given  to  the  Doctor  from  Hampton. 

"Cambridge,  September  15,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  I  wrote  you  a 
few  lines  in  great  haste  on  Saturday,  since  which  it  has  occurred  to 
me  that  although  your  first  letter  on  the  subject  mentioned  your 
being  connected  with  Dr.  Cutter  in  the  business  of  an  Hospital, 
yet  nothing  was  mentioned  of  him  in  your  last.  Now  I  presume 
that  Dr.  Cutter  and  you  are  together  in  this  intended  inoculation 
of  the  Kine  Pox,  for  it  would  make  a  material  odds,  were  you  to 
set  out  alone  in  the  operation,  whereas  with  Dr.  C.  you  would 
certainly  inoculate  Portsmouth  and  its  neighborhood  very  thor- 
oughly. Besides,  "he  that  is  not  with  you"  as  the  Bible  says  "ivill 
be  against  you."  Were  you  to  be  alone,  I  should  prefer  a  specific 
sum,  but  if  you  are  imited,  the  Quarter  Part  would  be  the  most 
righteous.  The  Doctor,  about  settling  at  Hampton  has  been  with 
me,  himself,  this  morning,  but  I  will  Usten  to  none  within  30  miles 
of  you.    Yours,  etc.,  B.  Waterhouse." 

Dr.  Spalding's  answer  to  this  is  missing,  but  in  the  fol- 
lowing from  Dr.  Waterhouse  we  see  outlined  a  scheme  to 
divide  New  England  into  Vaccination  Districts,  to  dis- 
tribute the  infection  for  cash,  and  to  frighten  others  from 
obtaining  humanized  virus  by  insisting  that  the  skilled 
physician  alone  could  tell  when  the  scab  might  be  scien- 
tifically used. 

"Cambridge,  September  18,  1800.  Dr.  Spalding,  Dear  Sir:  I 
am  sorry,  very  sorry  that  you  did  not  come  in  person  to  negotiate 
the  business  of  inoculation  instead  of  doing  it  by  letter,  because 
every  day  brings  me  fresh  applicants  on  the  same  subject.  I  have 
had  three  physicians  from  New  Hampshire  with  me  these  two 
days,  and  during  their  waiting  for  my  determination,  I  received 
M'hat  I  absolutely  waited  for,  your  letter,  which  when  read  I  was  dis- 
appointed in  finding  no  mention  made  of  Dr.  Cutter,  whose  name 
you  mentioned  as  connecting  in  your  plan  in  your  first  letter.  As 
these  gentlemen  could  not  tarry  any  longer,  I  finally  concluded  and 


INTRODUCTION  OF  VACCINATION  57 

exchanged  bonds,  of  which  the  enclosed  is  a  transcript  {Mutatis 
Mutandis)  to  inoculate  the  three  counties  of  Strafford,  Grafton  and 
Rockingham,  excepting  the  town  of  Portsmouth,  Newington,  Rye, 
Kittery,  Greenland  and  Dover,  on  an  intimation  that  Dr.  Cutter 
practiced  considerably  in  the  last-named  town.  Thus,  have  I  en- 
deavoured to  do  what  I  conceived  right,  just,  and  honorable  towards 
you,  Dr.  Cutter  and  them.  I  wished  exceedingly  that  you  had  been 
'present,  but  pressed  as  I  have  been  on  all  sides  I  feel  as  if  I  had 
done  for  the  best.  I  have  reserved  from  our  agreement  Hanover 
and  six  miles  around  it  in  Grafton  County,  because  I  thought  the 
physician,  whoever  he  might  be  in  that  quarter,  should  have  his 
chance  under  the  same  patronage  I  gave  to  others. 

I  have  sent  the  enclosed  form,  which  is  just  like  the  one  I  inter- 
changed with  Dr.  Rowe  in  Vermont,  and  Doctors  Stowe,  Raimey 
and  Dr.  Billings  of  Bristol  County,  Massachusetts  and  Three  Dr. 
Bartletts  in  your  State,^  for  three  seasons  with  the  reserve,  that  if 
you  do  not  close  with  my  proposals,  Portsmouth,  Dover,  etc.,  etc., 
will  be  included  in  their  district.  If  you  and  Dr.  Cutter  feel  dis- 
posed to  sign  such  a  paper  as  they  have,  I  will,  on  receipt  of  yours, 
send  another  properly  executed  and  with  it  the  matter  for  inocula- 
tion.   B.  Watekhouse. 

The  sum  of  $150  mentioned  when  Dr.  Spalding  returned 
The  Bond,  duly  executed  is  the  only  hint  that  I  find  of  the 
price  demanded  by  Dr.  Waterhouse  for  vaccine  virus  on  a 
bit  of  linen  thread. 

"Cambridge,  September  25,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  On  my  return 
from  Dracut  whither  I  went  to  inoculate,  or  rather  to  set  the  busi- 
ness going,  I  found  your  letter  and  have  taken  the  first  leisure  to 
answer  it.  I  confess,  I  have  been  disappointed  and  have  hardly 
known  how  to  act,  since  I  have  been  informed  that  you  are  going 
alone,  without  any  of  the  old  estabhshed  practitioners.  To  give 
you,  a  young  man,  and  a  stranger,  the  Matter,  to  the  exclusion  of 
these  old  physicians  is  not  altogether  pleasing  to  my  feehngs,  in- 
dependent of  my  interest.  I  should,  therefore,  like  that  you 
should  be  connected  with  some  of  them,  lest  some  of  them  should 
think  hard  of  me.    I,  nevertheless,  send  you  the  Matter,  although 

1  Of  the  physicians  mentioned.  Dr.  Rowe  practiced  in.  Dummers- 
town.  Dr.  Thomas  Stowe  Ranney  in  Brentwood,  Dr.  Levi  Bartlett  at 
Kingston  and  Dr.  Ezra  Bartlett  at  Haverhill. 

Dr.  Josiah  Bartlett  (1769-1835)  was  graduated  both  from  Harvard 
and  Dartmouth,  practiced  at  Stratham,  near  Portsmouth  and  was  a 
member  of  Congress  for  several  terms.  He  was  very  fond  of  Dr. 
Spalding  as  shall  be  presently  seen. 

Dr.  Benjamin  Billings  (1770-1852)  practiced  at  Marshfield  and  was 
a  friend  of  Webster. 


58  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

it  is  very  different  from  my  first  view  of  the  business.  I  included 
Dover,  merely  because  I  was  informed  that  Dr.  Cutter  (who  I  sup- 
posed was  to  be  connected  with  you)  had  considerable  practice 
there.  Had  you  have  taken  a  ride  up  to  Cambridge  we  could  have 
come  to  a  perfect  understanding,  which  it  is  ahnost  impossible  to 
do  by  letter,  more  especially  in  my  constant  hurry.  I  shall  there- 
fore make  no  objection  to  the  bond  you  signed  excepting  the  chang- 
ing of  the  First  of  September  to  the  1st  of  October  .  .  .  because  when 
the  first  period  was  mentioned  I  had  in  view  an  expectation  that 
Dr.  C.  his  son,  and  yourself  would  inoculate  Portsmouth  and  its 
adjoining  towns,  wliich  would  most  certainly  have  made  a  material 
difference  to  me.  I  have  had  $150  for  a  district  not  containing 
more  inhabitants  than  Kittery,  and  the  contract  I  made  with  Dr. 
Manning,  the  Bartletts,  etc.,  was  for  three  Seasons.  They  wished 
very  much  for  Portsmouth  etc.,  but  I  told  them  I  was  under  a  sort 
of  promise  to  Doctors  Cutter  and  yourself,  and  they  said  no  more 
about  it.  Had  I  known  that  you  were  to  go  alone,  in  the  business, 
I  should  have  bargained  with  you  for  a  specific  sum.  I  reserved 
from  my  engagement,  before  mentioned,  a  certain  district  round 
Hanover  and  so  down  the  river. 

Young  Doctor  Manning  ^  has  the  matter  and  will  be  as  close  with 
it  as  any  of  you,  by  what  he  says  to  me  by  letter.  I  send  you  as 
much  thread  as  I  received  from  England.    Yours,  B.  Waterhouse. 

P.  S.  I  take  it  for  granted  that  you  are  not  going  to  quit 
Portsmouth  to  go  up  to  Dartmouth  College  this  season,  for  the 
business  should  be  entered  into  directly,  and  unremittingly  pursued, 
in  order  to  effect  anything  capital.  As  I  do  not  feel  quite  satisfied 
at  having  my  hands  tied  from  supplying  those  old  estabUshed 
practitioners  among  you,  I  again  repeat  that  I  hope  you  will  con- 
trive it  so  as  to  admit  them  and  thereby  extend  the  practice  through 
Portsmouth,  and  its  neighborhood,  remembering  always  to  date 
from  the  first  of  October,  instead  of  the  first  of  September.  I  have 
no  doubt  but  the  inoculation  will  do  very  well  all  through  the 
winter.  I  mean,  at  least,  to  try  it.  You  must  be  very  attentive 
to  collecting  matter  from  the  arm,  for  I  camiot  supply  more  than 
the  first  thread.  Procure  the  "MERCURY"  of  25th  instant 
and  repubUsh  the  piece  in  it  on  the  Cow-pox  in  your  Newspapers." 

The  above  suggestion  that  Dr.  Spalding  should  abandon 
the  Dartmouth  Medical  School  and  throw  his  whole  heart 
into  vaccination,  probably  induced  him  to  resign  his  lecture- 
ship as  we  have  already  seen. 

1  "Young  Dr.  Manning"  was  Dr.  Samuel  Manning  (1780-1822),  a 
graduate  from  Harvard  and  a  practitioner  at  Cambridge.  He  ap- 
parently had  obtained  Bome  infection  from  Edward  Jenner.  We  shall 
hear  of  him  again  concerning  vaccination,  and  his  promise. 


INTRODUCTION  OF  VACCINATION  59 

It  must  have  been  discouraging  to  physicians  of  that  era 
to  find  that  in  return  for  $150  or  a  Bond  for  a  certain  per- 
centage of  their  gross  income  from  vaccination  they  were  to 
receive  nothing  but  a  bit  of  Hnen  thread  alleged  to  have 
been  dipped  in  pure  vaccine  infection.  Nothing  loath,  how- 
ever, Dr.  Spalding  utilized  his  linen  at  once  and  in  one  day 
vaccinated  thirty  patients,  and  made  public  announcement 
of  the  fact.  Having,  however,  trouble  later  on  with  some 
of  his  patients,  he  wrote  a  note  of  inquiry  to  Dr.  Water- 
house,  as  we  may  imagine,  and  obtained  the  following 
answer : 

''Cambridge,  October  12,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  I  write  imme- 
diately to  inform  you  that  you  must  take  the  matter  from  the  in- 
oculated part  in  its  limpid  state,  before  purulency  comes  on  (*) 
and  never  from  the  pustules  which  very  rarely  occur.  I  find  great 
difficulty  in  procuring  matter  for  my  own  inoculation. 

I  have  had  applications  from  Portsmouth  and  from  its  neighbor- 
hood, and  do  most  strenuously  recommend  that  you  offer  the  matter 
to  Dr.  Brackett,  and  Cutter.  With  their  assistance  you  will  make 
it  more  profitable  to  yourself  as  well  as  to  me.  I  never  was,  you 
know,  satisfied  with  our  bargain,  and  I  never  shall  be  unless  those 
old  established  practitioners  are  included.  Dr.  Jackson  has  not  ■ 
tlie  matter}  He  appHed  to  me  for  it  last  week.  He  brought  some, 
but  it  failed.     In  haste,  I  am,  etc.,  B.  Waterhouse. 

P.  S.    The  febrile  symptoms  are  the  criterion." 

Some  old  newspaper  cuttings  inform  me  that  Dr.  Spald- 
ing shared  his  thread  with  the  younger  Dr.  Cutter  and  that 
together  they  vaccinated  many  persons.  I  do  not  find  in 
Dr.  Spalding's  papers  any  mention  of  the  sum  which  he 

(*)  About  9th  or  10th  day. 
1  As  we  have  just  read  of  Dr.  Waterhouse  crowing,  as  it  were,  over 
the  poor  luck  which  Dr.  James  Jackson  had  been  having  with  vaccine 
brought  with  him  on  his  return  from  Europe,  only  a  few  days  before, 
this  is  the  place  to  annotate  his  career  as  a  great  physician.  Born  in 
1777  and  living  ninety  years,  Dr.  Jackson  studied  medicine  first  with 
Dr.  Oliver  of  Salem,  then  at  Harvard  and  finally  in  Europe.  He  had 
what  was  then  called  a  "Handsome"  practice  and  assisted  materially 
in  founding  the  Massachusetts  General  Hospital,  and  in  bringing  from 
Cambridge  to  Boston  the  Harvard  Medical  School  in  which  he  was 
Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice.  His  later  years  were  darkened  by 
the  sudden  and  early  death  of  a  son  who  promised  in  medicine  even 
greater  things  than  his  distinguished  father  had  accomphshed.  Dr. 
Jackson's  permanent  medicoliterary  fame  is  based  on  his  famous 
"Letters  to  a  Young  Physician." 


60  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

paid  under  his  Bond  to  Dr.  Waterhouse,  but  that  paper 
became  worthless  so  soon  as  it  was  found  that  the  virus 
could  be  passed  from  patient  to  patient,  the  favorite  method 
being  to  accompany  a  vaccinated  person  to  the  house  of  a 
patient  desiring  the  process,  and  taking  the  lymph  from  the 
part  affected.  This  personal  interview  assured  the  new 
patient  of  the  "neatness"  of  the  person  vaccinated. 

At  this  date,  the  active  correspondence  between  Dr. 
Waterhouse  and  Dr.  Spalding  ceased,  but  in  December, 
Dr.  Spalding  probably  finding  himself  in  difficulties  asked 
once  more  for  advice  and  received  from  Dr.  Waterhouse 
the  following  note : 

"Cambridge,  December  18, 1800.  Dear  Sir:  Did  you  know  what 
a  multitude  of  letters  I  daily  receive  and  how  much  my  time  is 
engrossed,  you  would  not  wonder  that  I  am  a  forgetful  corre- 
spondent. Had  you  acceded  to  my  proposal  at  the  beginning,  viz., 
to  have  come  to  Cambridge  as  several  others  did,  you  could  have 
seen  the  cases  you  wish,  have  known  the  disorder  and  the  mode  of 
conveying  it.  It  would  require  many  sheets  of  writing  to  desig- 
nate every  criterion,  and  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  answer  with  the 
requisite  precision  every  correspondent.  I  shall,  therefore,  pubhsh 
again  on  the  subject.  Hundreds  have  been  and  still  are  inocu- 
lating with  spurious  matter;  that  is,  matter  that  has  been  good  but 
degenerated,  or  not  taken  at  the  proper  time.  I  have  stopped  in- 
oculating myself.  I  expect  to  receive  fresh  matter  from  England, 
every  4  weeks  for  a  year  to  come,  after  next  March.  The  vaccine 
matter  appears  to  me  to  be  nearly  worn  out  in  this  country.  I 
shall  pubhsh  something  in  the  course  of  a  week  or  two. 

I  am  with  esteem,  Yours,  etc.,  Benjamin  Waterhouse. 

Can  you  send  me  Dr.  Bartlett's  description  of  the  Kine  Pox?" 

Dr.  Bartlett  just  mentioned  is  probably  the  sime  physician 
who  at  this  juncture  wrote  the  following  notes  which  show  how 
Dr.  Spalding  was  becoming  well  known  from  his  campaign  of 
vaccination. 

"Stratham,  October  9th,  1800.  Sir:  Having  no  personal  ac- 
quaintance, yet  seeing  an  advertisement  notifying  your  inoculating 
with  the  varioloid  vaccine,  I  write,  wishing  to  know  the  Method 
you  take  to  prevent  persons  from  inoculating  with  Matter  from 
your  patients.  From  the  Httlc  experience  had  in  the  business  as 
yet  I  am  much  pleased  with  similarity  of  the  Kine,  to  the  Small 
Pox,  three  patients  having  passed  through  the  former  under  my 
care  with  little  disturbance  except  the  arms,  one  having  about  two 
hundred  pock,  but  no  pustulation,  the  other  a  less  number.    If  it 


INTRODUCTION  OF  VACCINATION  61 

will  not  trouble  you  too  much,  I  wish  you  to  write  and  inform  me 
respecting  the  Matter.  With  Esteem,  your  Humble  Servant, 
JosiAH  Bartlett." 

After  using  a  scab,  which  Dr.  Spalding  had  sent,  Dr. 
Bartlett  replies  by  the  hand  of  Mr.  George  Wingate : 

"Doctor  Bartlett's  Compliments  to  Doctor  Spalding,  and  would 
inform  him  that  the  Kine  Pock  scab  produced  a  spurious  tumor  in 
one  case  and  in  others,  where  inserted,  did  not  take  or  produce  any 
effect.  If  you  have  some  on  a  thread  will  you  be  kind  enough  to 
let  me  have  some  if  you  think  it  is  not  effete  or  if  it  is  fresh?  Pardon 
my  frequent  apphcations  and  the  trouble  I  give  you.  The  bearer, 
George  Wingate,^  Esquire  will  take  the  virus  to  me.  Accept  my 
Respects  and  good  wishes,  Josiah  Bartlett." 

Soon  afterward  Dr.  Spalding  asked  for  Dr.  Jenner's  book 
on  inoculation  and  was  answered  thus  by  Dr.  Bartlett. 

"Stratham,  October  30th,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  Your  inquuries  con- 
cerning Jenner  received.  Doctor  S.  Ranney  of  Brentwood  now  has 
the  Book.  I  will  endeavor  to  get  and  send  it  to  you  next  week. 
We  could  find  only  this,  (one)  that  we  purchased  in  Boston  when 
visiting  Dr.  Waterhouse.  By  a  late  letter  from  him  I  find  that  the 
failure  within  his  practice  is  equal  to  ours.  I  frequently  inoculate 
in  both  arms  at  the  same  time;  in  general,  on  the  5th  day  (tho' 
sometimes  not  till  the  9th  or  11th)  after  effectual  inoculation,  there 
is  a  circular  ridge  around  the  pimcture,  which  is  pretty  certain  to 
produce  a  good  inflammation.  We  find,  that  producing  a  shght 
irritation  by  friction  on  the  arm,  before  inoculation  will  tend  to 
accelerate  the  absorbtion  of  the  virus.  I  wish.  Sir,  when  you 
write  me  you  would  inform  me  of  any  symptoms  that  occur  out  of 
the  common  line  in  this  disease,  and  we  will  do  the  same  by  you. 
I  am  Sir,  with  Esteem,  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't,  Josiah  Bartlett." 

A  few  days  later  Dr.  Bartlett  sent  Jenner's  pamphlet,  and 
with  it  a  letter  showing  how  the  "Vaccination  Trust"  was 
broken. 

"Stratham,  November  3d,  1800.  Dear  Sir.  Jenner's  publica- 
tion you  herewith  will  receive.  After  you  have  sufficiently  perused 
it,  please  to  return  it.  The  Kine  Pox  is  now  inoculated  by  many 
Physicians  within  our  neighborhood,  although  I  beheve  the  Matter 

1  George  Wingate,  the  "Bearer"  was  a  tiller  of  the  soil  at  Stratham. 
He  was  a  son  of  the  famous  Paine  Wingate,  Clergyman,  Congressman, 
Senator  and  Judge,  was  graduated  at  Phillip's  Exeter  Academy  and  at 
Harvard  whilst  Dr.  Spaldiag  was  studying  there.  Wingate  spent  the 
rest  of  his  life  at  Stratham  as  a  Farmer  and  survived  until  1852. 


62  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

was  procured  in  a  clandestine  manner,  and  it  appears  that  Dr. 
Dwight^  is  endeavoring  to  push  himself  by  inoculating  all,  in- 
discriminately. I  beheve  that  Doctor  Manning  has  spread  the 
Matter  in  this  State,  by  way  of  Newbury.  If  he  received  the 
IMatter  from  Dr.  Waterhouse,  as  I  heard  that  he  did,  and  has 
spread  it  (as  is  reported  of  him)  openly.  Dr.  Waterhouse  ought  to  be 
informed  of  it.  I  wish  you  success,  and  am  with  Respect,  etc., 
JosiAH  Bartlett." 

1  Dr.  Josiah  Dwight  of  Portsmouth  (1775-1855)  was  born  in  Belcher- 
towTi,  Connecticut,  and  after  studying  medicine  with  Dr.  Babbitt  of 
Stourbridge,  Massachusetts,  settled  in  Concord,  New  Hampshire.  He 
happened  to  be  in  Portsmouth  on  a  visit,  saw  there  the  ocean  for  the 
first  time  and  took  so  strong  a  fancy  to  its  beauties,  that  he  settled  in 
Porstmouth  for  life.  His  obstetrical  Case  Books  are  still  extant  and 
contain  an  account  of  more  than  2000  births  at  which  he  officiated. 
Judging  from  the  period  which  they  covered,  we  might  calculate  that 
in  his  entire  life  he  officiated  at  as  many  as  Six  Thousand  births.  These 
note  books  contain  special  mention  of  the  Presentations,  Convulsions 
and  Instrumental  Deliveries.  Dr.  Dwight  lost  his  sight  from  Glaucoma 
in  his  seventieth  year,  but  almost  to  his  dying  day  was  in  high  repute 
as  a  consultant. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

New  Acquaintances  and  Old  Friendships.  Marriage. 
1800-1802 

Vaccination  quieted  down  in  the  Autumn  of  1800,  owing 
to  lack  of  virus  and  the  fear  that  the  operation  could  not  be 
successfully  performed  in  winter.  Before  the  renewal  of  the 
Campaign  of  1801-2  a  few  letters  received  in  the  interval 
may  find  mention. 

The  excellent  cHentage  which  Dr.  Spalding  soon  obtained 
in  Portsmouth  is  shown  by  this  note  from  ''Sir  John"  Went- 
worth,  a  Lawyer  and  Magnate  living  in  the  old  Wentworth 
House  at  Little  Harbor.  He  was  educated  in  England,  then 
practiced  in  Portsmouth  and  finally  returned  to  England 
where  he  died.  The  first  Sir  John  Wentworth,  the  Royal 
Governor  of  the  Province  of  New  Hampshire,  had  long  since 
retired  to  Nova  Scotia,  whilst  this  "Sir  John"  was  thus 
quoted,  in  writing,  to  tell  the  two  men  apart. 

"July  26,  1800.  Dear  Doctor.  Mrs.  Wentworth  has  by  an 
accident  broken  the  fore  tooth  that  the  travelling  dentist  dis- 
composed. She  requests  that  you  will  at  once  bring  a  substitute, 
if  you  have  any  prepared,  and  has  sent  the  chaise  for  you. 

I  am  sorry  that  I  have  a  return  of  my  rash,  or  it  may  be  the 
effects  of  a  cold.  You  can  judge  best  when  you  come.  I  shall 
take  the  medicine  again,  tomorrow  in  case  I  do  not  see  you  today. 

Yours  with  Esteem,  John  Wentworth."^ 

One  of  Dr.  Spalding's  scholars  and  early  medical  friends 
was  Abraham  Hedge  who  settled  in  Chester,  Vermont,  from 
which  place  he  wrote  two  pleasant  letters  which  may  be  in- 
serted here. 

"Chester,  October  25,  1800.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  yours  of  a 
late  date  mentioning  the  manner  in  which  I  may  get  my  pay, 
which  will  be  very  agreeable  to  me.    I  expect  to  go  to  the  College 

1  This  letter  is  endorsed  "Sir  John"  in  grandfather's  handwriting. 
Mrs.  Wentworth  thus  suffering  with  her  teeth  was  a  daughter  of  Colonel 
Michael  Wentworth  and  the  widow,  Benning  Wentworth  (Martha 
Hilton),  the  heroine  of  Longfellow's  poem.  Dr.  Spalding,  as  we  shall 
later  see,  was  named  Executor  of  the  estate  of  the  Michael  Wentworths. 

63 


64  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

in  a  few  days.  If  agreeable  to  Dr.  Smith  I  will  leave  your  Note 
with  him.  Your  not  mentioning  anything  about  being  at  the 
College  this  Fall,  leads  me  to  suspect  you  have  withdrawn  from 
that  lucrative  employment.  I  am  sorry,  as  I  had  anticipated  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you  there.  Why  are  you  so  laconic  in  your 
scripts!  I  fancy  your  time  is  wholly  taken  up  with  your  profession 
or  feats  of  gallantry.  Your  mind  being  fallow  on  these  subjects 
you  could  only  pop  the  question  to  me,  whether  I  was  yet  married. 
But  no,  my  good  friend,  I  am  simply  cloistered  in  my  room  like  a 
Phoenix  in  the  dust  three  fourths  of  the  time. 

The  access  that  I  have  to  a  good  library  makes  this  an  agreeable 
retreat.  My  professional  business  is  small,  tho'  flattering,  as  it 
has  been  very  healthy  ever  smce  I  came  here,  and  as  I  have  been 
entrusted  with  some  operations  in  surgery  which  I  should  never 
have  had  so  near  Dr.  Smith,  as  Woodstock  was,  I  am  infested  with 
niggardly  quacks,  who  never  fail  to  exert  their  abilities  in  defaming 
me,  but  some  important  victories  have  lessened  their  influence. 

In  your  mention  of  the  kine  pox  I  perceived  some  of  the  same 
spirit  in  some  of  your  medical  brethren.  But,  by  the  by,  what  is 
the  matter  I  can't  obtain  some  of  the  vaccine  matter?  Are  you 
under  such  restrictions  as  to  be  unable  to  help  me  to  it!  !  Or,  will 
not  Dr.  Waterhouse  grant  me  help  to  it?  For  love,  I  think  it 
likely,  he  has  none  for  me,  knowing  notliing  more  about  me,  than 
that  I  dunned  him  pretty  sharp  for  your  money.  Do  inform  me 
how  I  can  obtain  it,  as  it  might  now  be  of  great  service  to  me,  and 
could  not  injure  him  or  you,  being  at  such  a  distance.  It  will  soon 
doubtless  become  general,  when  it  can  be  no  object.  Do  write, 
and  if  in  your  power  send  me  some  of  the  matter.  It  may  be  done 
up  in  a  bladder,  and  conveyed  in  a  letter  if  you  see  fit.  Let  me 
know  how  you  succeed  in  this  as  T'^ell  as  your  other  business;  whether 
Cupid  troubles  you  any;  and  what  is  the  state  of  politics.  By 
the  way,  our  Assembly  are  now  sitting,  who  are  Federal,  and  will 
choose  such  Electors  as  will  vote  for  Adams,  President  and  Pinkney, 
Vice.  This  may  be  depended  on.  .  .  .  You  say  a  correspondence 
would  be  agreeable.  Well  then  let  me  have  a  letter  every  week 
or  at  least  as  often  as  can  be  of  advantage  to  you  in  writing  or 
me  in  reading.  To  relate  every  Case  in  our  practice  might  be  of 
mutual  service.  But,  till  I  receive  another  from  you,  shall  remain 
your  friend  and  Humble  Serv't,  Abkaham  Hedge. 

N.  B.  There  is  a  post  office  in  this  town,  so  you  may  be  at  no 
trouble  but  to  lodge  your  letter  in  your  office,  as  I  will  do  here." 

To  this  the  recipient  must  have  replied  at  once,  for  in  the 
following  month  he  received  a  second  letter  from  Dr.  Hedge, 
written  much  like  the  other  without  punctuation  and  largely 
void  of  capitals. 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  65 

"Chester,  November  18,  1800.  My  good  friend:  Yours  of  the 
10th  this  day  received  and  hkewise  a  blank  containing  matter  for 
inoculation.  Your  description  of  the  disease  is  of  more  consequence 
to  me  than  the  matter  as  I  have  already  obtained  it  from  two 
different  quarters,  but  the  disease  was  so  hght  in  those  I  inoculated 
as  gave  me  doubts  whether  it  was  the  genuine  cow  pox.  However, 
it  answers  your  description  in  two  cases  out  of  about  a  dozen  in- 
oculated. I  find  much  difficulty  in  making  it  take,  but  more  in 
convincing  people  of  its  being  a  sufficient  barrier  to  the  small  pox. 
I  have  an  Article  in  the  warrant  for  town  meeting  to  see  if  the  town 
will  grant  me  permission  to  try  experiments  for  their  further  con- 
viction, by  inoculating  with  the  small  pox,  some  who  have  had  or 
shall  have  the  cow  pox.  For,  unless  I  can  use  more  effectual  means 
of  convincing  them,  than  by  reading  experiments  performed  in 
England,  or  even  in  Boston,  I  shall  not  inoculate  20  in  tliis  town.^ 
The  price  you  or  your  friends  set  on  the  infection  sent  me  would 
have  been  gladly  paid,  had  not  I  already  received  a  supply  which, 
that  you  may  not  think  I  act  the  rogue,  I  will  inform  you  where  I 
got  it.  While  I  was  at  Dartmouth  College,  from  which  I  have 
just  returned,  there  came  a  Doctor  More,  from  Dummerstown, 
there,  with  the  infection  from  whom  Dr.  Smith  obtained  it, 
and   I   from  Dr.  Smith.     When  I  returned  I  found  some  more 

infection  left  with  Mr.  Hubbard  by  my  friend,  Captain of 

Windsor. 

Dr.  Smith  had  just  obtained  a  subject  for  dissection,  and  as  I 
had  no  urgent  business  here,  I  tarried  there  a  few  days.^  His 
lecture  rooms  were  much  crowded,  he  having  more,  he  told  me, 
than  ever  attended  before.  Some  who  had  attended  your  lectures, 
said  that  Chemistry  dwindled  in  your  absence,  which  I  verily 
beUeve.  Tho'  I  consider  Doctor  Smith  as  a  great  and  universal 
genius,  and  possessed  of  more  virtues  than  generally  fall  to  the  lot 
of  one  man,  yet  I  think  him  wanting  in  accuracy  as  a  public  in- 
struction. 

1  left  your  note  with  him,  after  making  some  small  endorse- 
ments on  the  back,  for  sums  paid  by  Danforth's  note.*    I  also  left 

^  Medical  historians  of  today  might  give  time  to  discovering  if 
anything  in  favor  of  "vaccination-tests"  was  accomplished  in  the 
Town  Meetings  of  1800-1805  as  suggested  in  Dr.  Hedge's  letter. 

2  The  glimpse  of  a  subject  at  Dartmouth  and  Dr.  Hedge  riding  so  far 
to  dissect  a  "part"  throws  light  on  early  medical  history. 

3  "Danforth's  note"  was  given  to  pay  for  a  Course  of  Chemical 
LectiKes,  by  Dr.  Isaac  Danforth  (1763-1851)  who  with  Dr.  Goodhue, 
the  instructor  of  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  attended  lectures  at  Dartmouth 
in  order  to  obtain  a  degree  in  medicine,  without  which  they  had  both 
been  practicing  medicine.  Dr.  Danforth  was  graduated  M.B.  in  1800, 
and  practiced  many  years  at  Barnard,  Vermont. 


66  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

with  him  Chishohn's  "Yellow  Fever "^  and  some  Dissertations,  all 
of  which  I  suppose  you  have  minutes  of.  I  am  trying  the  effects 
of  Foxglo^'e  in  the  Phthisis  Pulmonalis,^  so  highly  recommended, 
and  find  it  to  have  the  effect  in  lessening  the  frequency  of  the 
pulse,  but  have  no  hopes  of  curing  the  complaint.  I  have  reduced 
the  patient's  pulse  from  130  to  40  in  a  minute,  and  if  a  cure  is  ob- 
tained, you  shall  have  the  particulars  .  .  .  from,  Your  very 
Humble  Servant,  Abraham  Hedge. 

Another  letter  arriving  at  this  time  at  Portsmouth  shows 
great  eagerness  to  understand  vaccination  and  to  be  early 
in  the  field.  Dr.  Samuel  Gerrish,  the  writer  (1773/1809), 
was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1793  and  was  a  member  of 
the  State  Medical  Society,  though  rarely  attending  the 
meetings. 

"Sanborntown,  New  Hampshire,  November  12,  1800.  Sir. 
Since  I  saw  you  I  have  received  a  letter  from  the  quarter  I  men- 
tioned, and  the  matter  was  effectual  in  the  first  instance,  but  on  a 
second  and  third  trial  failed,  and  none  was  taken  from  the  boy 
first  inoculated.  The  Doctor  is  not  certain  of  procuring  the  matter 
until  he  will  go  to  Boston  about  a  month  or  six  weeks  hence.  It 
has  become  the  topic  and  rage  in  this  quarter,  and  I  think  it  prob- 
able that  I  may  inoculate  a  larger  number,  and  make  more,  even 
under  Doctor  Waterhouse's  restrictions,  than  to  omit  till  Spring. 
That  only,  induces  me  to  submit  to  his  restrictions.  I  think  that 
his  method  of  restricting  New  Hampshire  will  answer  his  expec- 
tations but  a  short  time.  I  will  thank  you  to  supply  me  with  the 
matter  as  soon  as  you  can,  consistently,  which  I  suppose  may  be 
in  a  few  days,  and  send  it  wrapt  securely  in  three  or  four  separate 
papers  taken  from  different  patients  and  enclosed  in  a  letter  to 
Concord  Post  Office,  which  may  be  brought  directly  to  me  by  a 
regular  post  to  Sandborntown  in  ten  or  twelve  days,  I  hope  from 
this  time.  I  will  also  thank  you  to  write  the  incumbrances  under 
which  I  take  it,  and  I  will  be  accountable. 

I  shall  probably  see  you  in  two  or  three  months.  If  you  please, 
write  a  line  by  the  Post,  who  will  come  to  Concord  next  week,  how 
many  days  before  I  can  probably  have  it,  and  with  the  matter,  favor 

^  Dr.  Collin  Chisholm's  "Essay  on  Malignant  and  Pestilential 
Fever  appearing  in  Guinea  in  1793-4,"  and  based  on  his  experience  in 
British  Guiana,  was  published  in  1795  and  was  much  in  vogue  at  that 
time,  as  the  latest  thing  out.  After  leaving  South  America,  Dr.  Chris- 
holm  practiced  very  successfully  in  Bristol,  England,  and  then  retired 
to  London  where  he  died  in  1825. 

*  Judging  from  the  rumor  in  1801  that  Dr.  Hedge  was  dying  from 
Pulmonary  Hemorrhage,  it  would  seem  aa  if  he  were  here  his  own 
patient  and  experimenting  with  Foxglove. 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  67 

me  with  what  directions  you  may  think  necessary  from  your  own  ex- 
perience. If  you  cannot  supply  me  in  12  to  15  days,  be  so  good  as 
to  write,  that  I  may  procure  it  from  some  other  quarter.  Pudding 
Time  I  fear  will  be  short.^    Your  Servant,  Samuel  Gerbish," 

Bridgehampton,  on  Long  Island,  was  far  from  Portsmouth, 
yet  Dr.  Spalding's  paper  on  vaccination  must  have  caught 
the  eye  of  Dr.  Samuel  Haines  Rose  of  that  village,  for  at 
this  time  he  wrote  concerning  the  new  cure  for  small  pox. 

"Bridgehampton,  New  York,  17th  November,  1800.  Doctor 
Spalding,  Sir:  Although  personally  a  stranger  to  you,  I  have  taken 
the  liberty  to  address  you  at  tliis  time,  having  lately  heard  that 
you  are  inoculating  with  the  Cow  or  Kine  Pox,  which,  ever  since  I 
first  heard  of  its  discovery  in  London,  and  of  its  security  against 
the  infection  of  the  Small  Pox,  I  have  been  anxious  to  have  it  in- 
troduced in  this  Country,  more  especially  in  this  place,  where  a 
very  large  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  have  never  had  the  Small 
Pox.  As  I  wish  to  do  all  which  lies  in  my  power  to  eradicate  that 
dreadful  disorder,  the  Small  Pox,  and  being  pleased  with  promoting 
new  and  useful  discoveries,  my  request  to  you.  Sir,  is  that  you 
would  forward  me  by  the  Mail,  (as  soon  as  convenience  will  per- 
mit) some  of  the  Contagion  of  the  Kine  Pox,  either  in  Matter  or 
whatever  form  you  preserve  it,  and  inform  me  by  Letter  with 
your  mode  of  inoculating  with  it,  and  management  through  the 
complaint,  whether  it  is  necessary  to  give  any  medicine,  or  confine 
them  to  any  particular  diet,  and  how  long  after  the  inoculation 
before  the  Symptoms  or  Eruption  appear,  or  any  other  items  you 
may  think  proper  or  necessary  to  communicate  —  for  all  which 
trouble.  Sir,  and  for  your  obligedness  if  you  will  forward  your  Bill 
to  me,  I  will  make  you  ample  satisfaction  by  transmitting  you  the 
Balance  by  the  Mail,  and  you  will  forever  merit  the  esteem  and 
lay  under  the  most  lasting  obUgations,  Sir,  Your  ObHged  Friend 
and  Humble  Servant,  Samuel  H.  Rose,  Physician. 

If  there  should  be  danger  of  Frost  injuring  it,  please  to  secure  it 
against  it.    Excuse  haste,  the  Mail  is  waiting.    S.  H.  Rose. 

P.  S.  Please  to  direct  your  letter,  etc.,  to  Samuel  H.  Rose, 
Postmaster,  as  my  letters  are  Frank'd.    S.  H.  R." 

In  leaving  Dr.  Rose,  I  regret  to  say  that  I  find  no  reply  to 
his  interesting  requests.^ 

1  "Pudding  Time"  probably  means  "The  Soft  Thing"  for  which  Dr. 
Water  house  was  looking  in  making  money  from  his  District-scheme. 

2  Dr.  Rose  (17G1-1832)  was  educated  in  New  Jersey,  served  as 
Surgeon's  Mate  in  the  Revolutionary  Army,  then  retimied  to  Bridge- 
hampton, his  native  place  and  practiced  there  the  rest  of  his  life,  acting 
also  as  Postmaster  and  Village  Storekeeper. 


68  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

As  November  had  now  arrived  and  Dr.  Spalding  had 
heard  nothing  concerning  payment  for  his  Apparatus  at 
Hanover,  he  asked  his  Brother,  Silas,  to  make  a  personal 
inquiry.  The  letter  which  Silas  wrote  on  his  return  from 
Hanover  is  difficult  to  comprehend  owing  to  poor  punctua- 
tion, but  this  much  can  be  made  of  it. 

"Cornish,  November  11,  1800.  Dear  Brother:  I  went  to  Han- 
over as  you  requested,  but  did  not  make  out  according  as  you 
wrote  to  have  me,  for  there  was  not  any  money  in  the  Treasury, 
and  I  could  not  get  any,  but  Esquire  Woodward  was  not  at  home. 
He  was  gone  to  Court  at  Chelsea,  and  I  could  not  stay  on  un- 
certainties till  he  should  come  home,  for  they  could  not  tell  when  it 
would  be.  He  had  collected  thirty  or  forty  dollars  on  yoin  notes, 
and  I  got  Dr.  Smith  to  see  Esquire  Woodward  and  get  that,  and 
send  it  by  Esquire  Gilbert  to  you.  Dr.  Smith  told  me  it  was  un- 
certain when  you  could  get  the  money  from  the  College,  except  it 
was  in  the  Treasurer's  hand,  and  then  the  Trustees  has  purposed 
for  him  to  give  you  a  note  for  the  same.  Likewise,  the  Doctor  has 
taken  up  notes  against  you  to  the  amount  of  fifty  dollars,  as  he 
told  me;  the  one  you  have  of  Hedge,  and  the  other  he  had  of  Dr. 
Adams  from  Walpole  or  Keene,  I  do  not  remember  which  he  told 
me.  The  Doctor  wishes  to  see  you  to  settle,  for  he  does  not  know 
what  is  due  for  your  things  which  I  got  fetched  up  for  you  last 
winter,  and  cannot  settle  for  them  until  a  bill  is  sent  up,  and,  he 
had  no  money  till  he  had  left  off  lecturing.  There  was  about  forty 
attended,  which  he  calculates  will  afford  six  hundred  dollars  profit. 
He  wants  you  there,  for  there  is  nobody  taking  your  part,  and  I  asked 
whether  if  you  had  a  mind  to  come  next  Fall,  whether  he  would  be 
fond  of  it.  He  told  me,  yes,  he  should.  Your  parents  tliink  if  you 
can  do  without  the  money,  you  had  better  let  it  be,  and  come  and 
lecture  next  Fall,  and  settle  your  business  yourself.  For,  you  can  do 
it  better  than  others  for  you.  All  well  at  Cornish  with  us  and  the 
rest  of  your  friends.  I  shall  write  again  by  Ith  Chase  when  he  goes 
to  Court,  concerning  other  matters.    Silas  Spalding." 

This  letter  emphasizes  the  poverty  of  the  College,  whilst 
the  mention  of  Forty  Students  has  its  historical  value. 

Ithamar  Chase,  brother  of  the  Bishop,  was  a  school  mate 
of  Dr.  Spaldings;  together  they  founded  a  Town  Libary  in 
Cornish.  As  Mr.  Chase  would  soon  be  attending  the 
General  Court,  he  would  be  glad  to  carry  a  letter  to  his  friend 
in  Portsmouth,  as  we  have  seen. 

Soon  afterward.  Dr.  Noah  Spalding  wrote  from  Hanover 
as  follows.  Noah  Spalding  (1772-1836)  was  not  related 
to  Lyman,  but  liked  him  so  much  as  to  name  a  son  for  him. 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  69 

Noah  was  graduated  at  the  Dartmouth  School  in  1800, 
practiced  in  several  places  in  the  East  and  after  moving 
West,  died  at  Delaware,  Ohio. 

"Hanover,  November  20,  1800.  Sir.  I  am  happy  to  learn  that 
your  success  in  your  profession  is  increasing,  and  that  you  are  be- 
ginning to  reap  the  fruit  of  industry  and  perseverance.  I  have  not 
been  a  little  disappointed  that  you  did  not  come  to  give  Lectures 
this  term,  for  although  the  business  has  not  yet  met  with  great 
encouragement,  it  is  not  doubtful  that  perseverance  would  have 
made  it  more  lucrative,  and  1  am  supported  in  this  opinion  by 
many  good  men  in  this  place,  but,  as  business  increases  with  you, 
it  might  not  be  an  object  worthy  your  attention.  You  may,  per- 
haps, have  expected  to  see  me  or  to  hear  from  me  in  some  other 
quarter,  but  I  was  obliged  to  spend  so  much  time  in  the  study  of 
Latin  and  Natural  Philosophy  that  I  had  not  leisure  to  read  Rush's 
works,  and  Gregory's  "Oeconomy"^  without  staying  this  term.  — 
Medical  Lectures  will  close  for  this  term  in  less  than  two  weeks, 
when  it  will  be  necessary  for  me  to  shift  for  myself.  I  have  had 
Newbury  in  contemplation,  but  find  that  Dr.  Kinsman^  is  not 
likely  to  leave  the  place,  which  will  put  a  stop  to  my  intentions. 
From  your  account  of  Castine,  I  still  entertain  a  favorable  opinion 
of  it,  but  as  I  cannot  make  a  tour  that  way  sooner  than  3  or  4  weeks 
from  this  time,  I  should  be  obhged  to  you  to  inform  me  whether 
you  know  of  any  material  change  in  the  State  of  affairs  relative  to 
physicians  which  might  render  it  improper^  to  attend  further  to 
that  matter. 

You  were  pleased  in  your  last,  to  tax  me  with  the  neglect  of  writ- 
ing respecting  your  Laboratory.  The  truth  is,  I  could  write  no 
good,  and  therefore  chose  to  write  nothing,  for  Day^  and  March^ 

1  Gregory's  "Oeconomy,"  a  famous  test  book  in  its  day,  was  written 
by  George  Gregory  (1754-1808),  Preacher  at  the  Foundling  Hospital  in 
London  and  Rector  of  the  Parish  of  West  Ham.  His  celebrated  work, 
"The  Oeconomy  of  Nature  Explained"  appeared  in  1796,  and  was  soon 
widely  adopted  for  College  instruction. 

2  Dr.  Kinsman  of  Newbury  was  probably  the  same  physician  who 
afterwards  practiced  in  Portland,  Maine,  and  died  there  in  1808. 

3  "Improper"  referring  to  Castine  simply  means  that  it  was  held 
to  be  so  in  those  days,  to  go  to  a  town  where  there  was  already  at  least 
one  physician. 

*  Dr.  Sylvester  Day,  the  other  medical  student,  practiced  in  Middle- 
bury,  Vermont  after  obtaining  his  M.B.  in  1801,  then  was  appointed 
Surgeon's  Mate  in  the  United  States  Army  in  1807,  served  meritoriously 
in  the  War  of  1812  and  died  as  Army  Surgeon  in  1851. 

6  John  March  (1774-1834),  the  student  who  helped  to  break  North's 
apparatus,  was  graduated  A.B.  and  M.D.  at  Dartmouth  in  1797  and 
1801  and  practiced  at  Londonderry,  New  Hampshire,  and  in  Eden, 
New  York. 


70  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

had  burst  the  foot  piece  of  North's  apparatus^  into  a  thousand 
pieces  by  a  mismanagement  of  the  gas.    I  have  nothing  new.    If 
I  had,  you  would  be  presented  with  it. 
I  am,  Sir,  Respectfully  yours,  N.  Spalding. 

We  have  now  to  return  to  two  valuable  letters  from  Dr. 
Nathan  Noyes.  The  first  one  begun  in  September  did  not 
arrive  until  November  10th.  Though  rather  long,  I  give  it 
as  it  stands: 

" Newburyport,  September  22,  1800.  "See  the  graves  open!" 
and  shall  not  my  mouth  open  too?  It  shall,  for  though  my  lips 
have  been  as  it  were,  sealed,  my  heart  has  been  like  the  belly  of 
Elihu,  like  bottles  of  new  wine,  ready  to  burst  for  want  of  com- 
munication, (Job  xxxii-19)  —  to  burst  with  vexation,  at  the  influ- 
ence which  grey  hairs  bestow  upon  medical  ignorance.  But  the 
mj^stery  to  you  now  is,  wherefore  my  hps  have  been  so  long  sealed. 
Have  I  been  so  much  occupied  with  business  that  I  have  not  found 
time  for  writing?  No.  Have  I  been  insensible  to  the  bonds  of 
friendship  and  forgetful  of  the  duties  of  a  correspondent?  No. 
The  reason  is  merely  this :  last  Fall  we  agreed  not  to  incur  the  ex- 
pense of  communication  by  mail  and  when  I  have  had  oppor- 
tunities for  private  conveyance,  fortune  has  rendered  it  absolutely 
impossible  for  me  to  write.  At  last,  taught  by  experience,  I  have 
determined  to  write  beforehand,  and  preserve  the  letter  till  an 
opportunity  for  sending  it  should  present. 

Since  writing  you  before,  I  have  been  at  Hanover,  just  cast  my 
eye  upon  the  Indian  Charity  School,  and  spent  four  or  five  hours 
on  the  Plain.  I  could  hardly  command  my  feelings  to  tarry  longer, 
for  things  seemed  strangely  altered  since  we  walked  its  streets 
together.  The  scholars  were  gone,  every  one  his  way.  The  in- 
habitants were  many  of  them  sick.  The  Ditties^  were  no  where  to 
be  found.  Nabby  Smith  was  just  married,  Nancy  Fuller^  was 
published  to  Davis:  S.  B.*  looked  as  if  she  had  just  arisen  from  a 
eick  bed;  H.  B.  looked  as  though  she  might  be  recollecting  the 
commencement  of  the  Christian  Era  to  settle  the  dispute  about 

1  Dr.  Elisha  North  (1771-1843),  the  inventor  of  the  broken  ap- 
paratus was  a  physician  and  maker  of  Chemical  Apparatus,  practicing 
at  Goshen,  and  later  at  New  London,  Connecticut,  where  in  1817  he 
established  one  of  the  earliest  Eye  and  Ear  Institutions  in  America. 
He  also  wrote  copiously  on  medical  topics. 

2  The  word  "Ditties"  therein  mentioned  means  the  young  ladies  of 
Hanover. 

^  Miss  Fuller  was  a  daughter  of  Caleb,  prominent  in  the  Church  at 
Hanover. 

*  S.  B.  and  H.  B.  were  of  the  Brewster  family,  whilst  Nabby  Smith 
I  have  not  discovered  as  yet. 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  71 

the  close  of  the  Century.  Wealthy  Brigham,  and  others  all  gone! 
But  DEGENERACY  seemed  written  in  the  most  striking  character 
on  the  Medical  School,  though  the  Law  Shop  was  entirely  closed. 
Bartlett^  had  obtained  a  degree!  and  Torrey^  was  called  the  most 
promising  man  in  the  School!  !  !  Of  what  was  it  then  composed?  ?  ? 
Doctor  Smith  was  as  usual  very  good  and  very  busy.  The  Trustees 
refuse  to  give  him  support,  and  he  is  obliged  to  seek  it  where  it  is 
to  be  found.  He  is  one  of  the  Best  Men  in  the  world,  and  ought 
to  meet  success  on  every  hand,  but,  Alas!  he  is  too  venturesome 
(in  the  language  of  Old  Women).  While  he  laughs  at  the  people  of 
New  Hampshire  for  their  spirit  of  enterprise,  he  is  leading  in  the 
van!  But,  perhaps  I  am  saying  these  things  at  the  wrong  time, 
for  he  has  lately  refused  to  perform  the  operation  of  Uthotomy,  on 
account  of  the  unpromising  condition  of  the  patient. 

I  beheve  that  I  mentioned  to  you  some  time  since  a  species  of 
fever  which  has  been  prevalent  in  the  lower  part  of  this  town,  and 
that  its  appearances,  though  pretty  uniform,  differed  a  little  from 
those  of  any  fever  I  had  ever  before  seen.  I  have  since  had  an  op- 
portunity of  learning  its  name  to  my  cost,  or  at  least  to  my  vexa- 
tion. Accident,  as  it  were,  threw  into  my  hands  every  case  of  this 
kind  that  happened  in  the  first  month  or  two,  except  in  two  families; 
in  those,  two  persons  died,  and  four  others  were  sick  five  or  six 
weeks  apiece.  My  patients  all  recovered  under  the  treatment 
already  mentioned,  and  all,  except  one  BEGAN  to  recover  some 
time  in  the  first  week.  This  success  at  length  recommended  me  to 
a  man  who  has  always  employed,  and  whose  wife  was  stni  much 
attached  to,  Dr.  M.  S.,^  Member  of  the  Academy  of  Arts  and 
Sciences,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  The  Patient  grew  very  sick,  and  on  the 
seventh  day  was  taken  with  copious  sweat  and  then  very  faint. 
The  wife  was  alarmed,  sent  for  me,  and  thought  she  must  see  her 
Old  Doctor.  I  pronounced  the  patient  better  but  consented  to 
have  advice. 

The  Old  Doctor  came,  gravely  and  solemnly  advanced  to  feel 
the  pulse,  desired  me  to  pull  aside  the  window  curtains,  and  staring 

1  Dr.  Bartlett,  who  comes  in  for  a  little  sneer,  was  Joshua,  long  im- 
known  to  the  Dartmouth  Catalogers,  but  who  is  now  Ioiowti  to  be 
Dr.  Joshua  Bartlett  who  practiced  at  Unity,  New  Hampshire,  and 
obtained  from  Dartmouth  University  in  1818,  at  the  time  of  the  cele- 
brated Quarrel  between  the  Trustees  and  the  State,  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Medicine. 

2  Dr.  Torrey  was  Augustus  who  practiced  many  years  in  Chelsea, 
Vermont,  and  died  in  1858. 

3  Dr.  Moses  Sweat,  the  "Old  Doctor"  had  an  honorary  degree  from 
Harvard  in  1790.  He  was  famous  for  "A  Medical  Journey"  on  horse- 
back as  far  south  as  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  in  search  of  facts, 
drugs  and  experience  in  medicine,  which  he  published  not  long  after 
his  retiu-n.     It  is  amusing  to  hear  him  called  "old"  at  66. 


72  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

the  patient  in  the  face  assured  him  that  he  had  the  Old  Fashioned 
Fall  Fever,  which  could  not  begin  to  abate  in  less  than  seventeen 
days.  The  patient  frightened  almost  into  a  syncope  sighed  out, 
"I  am  exhausted."  You  will  probably  be  at  a  loss  to  account  for 
the  terror  of  the  patient,  but  if  you  knew  as  well  as  he  what  havoc 
this  same  Fall  Fever  has  made  here,  you  could  no  longer  be  at  a 
loss.  Dr.  S.  thinks  it  a  fever  peculiar  to  this  town  and  neighbor- 
hood. Now,  why  had  I  not  thought  to  call  this  epidemic  of  JUNE, 
a  FALL  Fever?  !  It  would  have  been  a  lucky  hit!  But  my  evil 
genius  would  have  it  otherwise,  and  the  good  lady  determined  that 
I  knew  nothing  of  the  disease.  It  was  therefore  necessary,  that  the 
Old  Doctor  should  attend  with  me.  The  next  day  not  happening 
to  meet  with  him,  I  left  a  note.  He  now  had  an  opportunity  of 
reading  some  circumstances  that  he  would  not  deign  to  hear  the 
day  before.  Then,  it  burst  in  upon  him,  like  a  new  day,  that  the 
fever  has  aheady  past  its  Crisis!  And,  therefore  ought  to  be 
treated  with  rhubarb  and  columbo  to  evacuate  and  correct  the 
putrid  bile.  The  cathartic  I  deferred  for  a  day  or  two,  but  what 
was  my  surprise  when  within  twelve  hours  this  father  of  medicine 
insisted  upon  evacuating  biHary  calcuh  from  a  patient  who  never 
had  had  one  symptom  of  jaundice,  who  was  now  reduced  with 
fever,  to  a  state  of  almost  continued  faintness.  In  vain  was  he 
told  that  the  patient  had  never  borne  more  than  half  so  violent  a 
cathartic.  He  could  assure  me  that  it  was  absolutely  necessary, 
and  he  had  given  the  same  dose  an  hundred  times.  Finding  it  a 
hopeless  task  to  attempt  convincing  a  man  whose  ideas  were  bar- 
ricaded by  grey  hairs,  and  whose  opinions  were  built  upon  the  pure 
basis  of  his  own  experience,  I  had  nothing  else  to  do  but  to  agree 
in  dividing  and  assessing  the  property  of  our  patient,  or  ask  my 
o-RTi  dismission.  But,  Alas!  how  imperfect  is  even  that  knowledge 
which  is  founded  on  experience!  !  ! 

This  same  OLD  Doctor  has  I  beheve  had  but  three  patients  with 
this  fever  since;  one  of  them  is  dead,  another  is  hourly  expected  to 
die,  and  the  other  has  been  but  lately  attacked. 

Toward  the  beginning  of  this  tedious  story  I  mentioned  a  family 
in  which  the  fever  ran  out  to  a  prodigious  length;  in  the  fatal  case 
many  weeks.  Toward  the  close  of  the  business,  I  was  called  in 
and  explained  to  their  physician  my  manner  of  treating  the  disease 
with  Calomel.  Whether  he  has  designed  to  follow  my  advice  or 
not  I  can  not  say.  But  if  not,  he  must  have  discovered  some 
remedy  as  good  for  he  has  since  met  with  the  very  best  success. 

(After  going  at  this  point  into  very  minute  detail  of  all 
the  symptoms  which  he  had  seen  in  all  bis  cases  and  which 
would  be  tedious  to  note  at  this  point  in  full,  Dr.  Noyes 
continues  his  letter.) 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  73 

I  was  called  in  a  ^-hile  ago  to  a  boy  who  had  been  affected  a  few 
hours  with  most  of  the  symptoms,  but  especially  great  action  of 
the  carotids,  and  stupor.  The  stupor  was  almost  equal  to  that  of 
an  apoplexy.  I  gave  him  calomel  and  aloes.  The  next  day  I  found 
him  in  a  chair.  I  mention  therefore  the  use  of  calomel  in  the  first 
stage,  and  could  state  some  other  things  to  the  same  purpose.  If 
the  disease  be  suffered  to  run  through  the  first  week  without  in- 
terruption, it  brings  on  diarrhoea.  If  the  physician  should  still 
fear  to  turn  the  course  of  the  disease,  it  continues  without  much 
abatement  with  p3a-exia,  and  then  leaves  the  patient  either  in  the 
arms  of  death,  or  with  a  shght  yellowness  of  the  face  to  a  long 
train  of  nervous  complaints,  the  pyrexia  gradually  subsiding  for  4 
or  5  weeks  more." 

And  with  these  words  and  no  salutation,  the  long  letter  ends. 

The  second  letter  from  Dr.  Noyes  is  in  answer  to  one 
handed  to  him  by  Rev.  Joseph  Willard,  who  was  Rector  of 
St.  John's,  at  Portsmouth,  a  graduate  from  Harvard,  and 
later  on  officiating  in  Newark,  New  Jersey,  where  he  died. 

Undated  but  post  marked  October  14. 

Friend  Spalding:  Three  days  ago  I  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving 
a  letter  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Willard,  (or  rather  by  a  BOY)  with  word 
that  Mr.  Willard  had  gone  out  of  town.  Now  this  has  been  the 
case  with  all  your  "friends"  whom  you  have  sent  except  one  — 
and  when  she  came  I  was  obliged  to  go  immediately  out  of  town. 
As  for  my  friends  who  have  gone  your  way,  they  have  all  given  me 
the  shp.  But  I  have  written  a  letter  almost  as  large  in  bulk  as 
the  whole  that  you  have  sent  since  my  last.  It  is  too  heavy  in 
matter  and  too  hght  in  spirit  to  go  by  mail. 

You  mentioned  in  your  last,  having  begun  to  inoculate  with 
Cow  Pox.  If  you  have  now  or  shall  soon  have  infection  to  spare, 
and  will  venture  it  with  me,  you  may  obhge  your  humble  servant 
by  sending  it  by  the  stage  driver.  If  you  send  the  infection,  I 
would  thank  you  to  communicate  what  you  know  of  the  manage- 
ment of  the  disease;  whether  you  inoculate  your  patients  at  their 
homes;  what  restrictions  you  lay  them  under;  what  are  your  fees, 
etc.  for  though  I  have  seen  much  written  on  the  subject,  I  have 
not  yet  obtained  satisfactory  information  on  these  points. 

While  you  are  increasing  (in  this  way)  the  catalogue  of  diseases,  I 
am  endeavoring  to  add  to  the  long  list  of  the  Materia  Medica, 
They  seem  indeed,  already  as  much  overgrown  as  Sauvage's  "List 
of  Human  Infirmities"^  but  many  of  their  articles  deserve  as  httle 

1  Frangois  Sauvage  (1708-1787)  was  a  physician  in  Bordeaux, 
France,  and  a  monster  of  erudition,  writing  hundreds  of  pamphlets  and 
Treatises.  His  first  essay  was  written  at  the  age  of  20  on  this  odd 
topic  "Love;  Can  it  be  cured  by  medicines  made  from  Plants?" 


74  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

attention.  LETTUCE  has  been  mentioned  by  writers  as  a  nar- 
cotic, but  in  so  slight  a  manner  that  I  was  entirely  ignorant  of  it, 
when  first  led  to  make  experiments  on  the  milk  that  exudes  from 
the  stalk  and  leaves,  when  cut.  This  milk,  perfectly  dried  and 
swallowed  in  quantity  of  f  of  a  grain  when  going  to  bed  acted 
pretty  powerfully  as  a  hypnotic.  Two  grains,  inspissated,  perhaps 
equal  to  1  grain,  or  Ij  grains  dried,  taken  at  11  a.m.,  first  raised  the 
pulse,  and  then  depressed  it,  produced  great  coldness  of  the  body, 
removed  headache,  then  brought  on  vertigo  succeeded  by  a  sense 
of  fulness  and  heavy  dull  pain  in  the  head.  All  the  experiments 
that  I  have  yet  made  with  it,  have  been  upon  myself,  and  with  me, 
who  am  a  dyspeptic,  it  has  always  greatly  increased  hunger  and 
considerably  the  power  of  digestion.  It  has  seemed  to  increase 
rather  than  diminish  the  excretions;  in  a  word  to  produce  in  the 
ahmentary  canal,  effects  nearly  the  reverse  of  those  of  opium. 
The  lettuce-juice  milk  is  easily  and  abundantly  procured  by  cut- 
ting the  stem  of  garden  lettuce  any  time  after  its  running  up  to 
flower. 

With  much  respect,  I  am  sincerely  yours,  N.  Notes. 

P.  S.  I  think  there  is  in  one  of  your  Repositories  an  account  of 
Fowler's  method  of  preparing  and  using  his  "Mineral  Solution"^ 
for  periodical  headaches  and  agues.  If  you  can  turn  readily  to 
the  place  I  wish  you  would  write  me  a  short  abstract.    Yours  N.  N." 

This  letter  from  Dr.  Noyes  was  followed  by  a  note  en- 
closing a  very  long  document,  parts  of  which  are  worth 
printing.     The  note  says: 

"I  have  this  moment  an  opportunity  of  sending  your  book  and 
an  old  letter.  Baynton's  Method  of  treating  ulcers^  I  have  tried, 
but  without  success.    N.  N." 

The  "old  letter"  says: 

" Newburyport,  November  21st,  1800.  "May  the  name  of 
Noyes  and  Lettuce  be  glad  tidings  to  the  sick  man's  ear."  Even 
so  let  him  be!    For,  notwithstanding  your  ridicule.  Sir,  the  Lettuce 

1  "Fowler's  Solution"  of  arseniate  of  potash  was  invented  by  Richard 
Fowler  (1765-1863)  who,  though  delicate  as  a  child,  lived  to  a  good  old 
age.  He  was  graduated  at  Edinburgh,  was  a  Licentiate  of  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  London,  and  practiced  at  Salisbury, 
England.  He  wrote  many  medical  papers  and  was  interested  in  Deaf 
Mutes,  his  "Physiology  of  Thought  in  Deaf  Mutes"  being  a  curious 
work.     His  "Solution"  is  as  useful  today  as  it  was  a  century  ago. 

^  Thomas  Baynton  (1769-1829),  a  practitioner  of  medicine  in  Bristol, 
England,  wrote,  in  1799,  a  very  famous  treatise:  "A  New  Method  of 
Treating  old  ulcers  of  the  Leg,"  which  had  great  success  and  made  a 
sensation  in  surgical  circles,  Uke  any  fashionable  XX  Century  remedy. 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  75 

Gum  deigns  not  to  hide  or  bow  her  head  or  even  becloud  it  with  a 
blush.  It  cannot,  indeed,  pretend  to  an  equality  with  Lockyer's 
pill,^  or  the  Patent  Tractor,  but  promises  nevertheless  to  be  a 
pretty  useful  remedy,  and  in  many  cases,  claims  a  preference  to 
opium.  This  preference  is  grounded  chiefly  on  its  different  effect 
on  the  alimentary  canal  and  on  Animal  Heat.  The  refrigerant 
effects  of  l|  grains  were  so  considerable  in  my  own  case  as  to 
oblige  me  to  retreat  to  a  blazing  chimney  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the 
hottest  days  in  July.  But  that  was  considerably  too  large  a  dose 
and  more  than  has  been  ventured  on  since.  In  one  other  case  in 
which  the  medicine  was  used  nearly  as  hberally,  similar  effects  were 
produced.  This  was  a  case  of  extreme  debihty  following  a  men- 
orrhagia,  attended  with  watchfulness,  violent  pain  in  the  side, 
pain,  and  bearing  down  in  the  pelvis.  Opium  was  inadmissable, 
both  on  account  of  costiveness,  and  in  its  having  aheady,  when 
used,  left  the  patient  disposed  to  syncope,  which  had  sometimes 
continued  with  very  short  intervals  for  several  horn's.  The  Lettuce 
Gum  was  administered  at  night.  The  next  morning  I  found  that 
the  patient  had  slept  some,  was  free  from  morbid  heat  and  pain, 
except  a  httle  in  her  head.  The  Lettuce  was  continued  two  or 
three  nights  longer  when  she  was  too  well  to  need  a  physician, 
though  she  had  before  been  sinking  under  the  use  of  the  most 
powerful  tonics,  and  had  sunk  very  fast  when  cathartics  or  saline 
refrigerants  had  been  used.  But  what  sets  off  the  Lettuce  here  in 
a  still  more  favorable  point  of  view  is,  that  the  disease  lasted  but  a 
fortnight  whereas  an  exactly  similar  one  had  a  few  months  before 
withstood,  nearly  five  weeks,  the  powers  of  cinchona,  bitters, 
chalybeates,  myrrh,  guaicum,  etc." 

(Dr.  Noyes  goes  on  from  this  point  to  note  in  tiresome 
detail  (easily  omissible)  other  instances  in  which  lettuce  had 
proved  its  value  and  from  these  he  proceeds  to  a  diffuse 
account  of  headache  cured  by  arsenic  in  mint  water,  after 
cinchona  and  iron  had  failed. 

Farther  along,  after  profuse  details  concerning  asthma 
and  cough  treated  successfully  with  lettuce,  he  quaintly 
asks:  "Now,  why  did  the  period  of  coughing  in  the  first 
case  foUow  the  Lunar  Day  and  in  the  other,  the  Solar  Day! 

1  Dr.  Noyes'  fling  at  Lockyer's  Pill  (1600-1672)  suggests  that  Dr. 
Spalding  was  still  using  that  ancient  remedy,  of  which  we  find  mention 
on  Lockyer's  monument  in  St.  Saviour's,  Southwork,  London: 

"His  Virtues  and  his  PUls  are  so  well  known 
That  Envy  can't  confine  them  under  Stone; 
But  they'll  Survive  his  Dust  and  not  expire, 
Till  all  things  else  in  th'  Universal  Fire." 


76  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Was  it  because  of  the  latter  case  being  related  in  any  way 
to  the  Remittent  Fever  of  which  there  have  been  several 
instances  in  this  neighborhood?" 

He  also  says,  "The  expectorated  matter  yielded  to  the 
Darwinian  Tests,^  appearances  of  pus.") 

At  this  point  in  his  exceedingly  long  letter,  Dr.  Noyes 
laid  it  aside,  and  taking  it  up  again  two  months  later,  he 
begins: 

"December  15.  Your  favor  came  soon  to  hand,  but  the  books 
which  you  have  mentioned  have  not  yet  arrived.  Mr.  Elliott'^ 
has  however  promised  to  bring  them.  He  called  the  5th  day  after 
inoculation  when  there  were  considerable  tumor  and  redness  about 
the  wound  and  soreness  in  the  axilla.    He  has  not  called  since. 

With  regard  to  your  resignation  from  Dartmouth,  I  do  not  know 
that  I  heard  it  mentioned  by  any  of  the  Authority,  but  Dr.  Smith, 
and  he  mentioned  it  only  at  the  moment  of  our  parting.  The  chief 
of  what  I  have  heard  has  come  from  the  students.  Some  of  them 
appear  to  have  been  desirous  of  having  our  friend  Adams  for  a 
Lecturer.  They  thought  that  he  would  treat  them  with  more 
famiUarity,  would  be  more  original  and  eloquent  in  his  lectures, 
now  that  he  had  been  armed  with  a  diploma,  seal  and  ribbon.  I 
believe,  Sir,  (and  you  seem  to  have  required  of  me  to  speak  plainly) 
that  you  did  not  pay  quite  enough  attention  to  the  LANGUAGE 
of  your  lectures,  for  that  was  almost  the  only  thing  about  them  of 
which  the  scholars  in  general  were  capable  of  judging.  I  beheve, 
too,  that  there  were  considerable  exertions  made  by  several  persons 
for  a  change  and  that  at  the  moment  most  favorable  to  their  wishes, 
you  brought  forward  your  motion  for  curtailing  the  period  of  your 
lectures.  Now,  Sir,  I  must  observe  to  you,  as  I  have  done  to  Dr. 
Smith,  and  to  several  of  the  scholars,  that  I  consider  your  resigna- 
tion at  this  time  as  an  unfortunate  thing  for  the  College.  Nor 
can  I  yet  see,  that  it  will  be  of  any  advantage  to  yourself.  I  fear, 
as  well  as  you,  that  the  Medical  Institution  has  been  so  nipt  in  the 
bud,  that  it  will  never  unfold  those  fair  flowers  which  we  had  hoped 
would  spread  their  fragrance  far.  Wliere  now  is  our  Dartmouth 
Medical  School!    I  fear  that  your  friend  Mitchill's  SEPTON  has 

1  The  "Darwinian  Tests"  may  have  been  introduced  by  Erasmus 
Darwin  (1738-1802)  or  Robert  (1756-1848).  Erasmus  practiced  in 
Sam  Johnson's  town  of  Litchfield,  was  a  huge,  unwieldy  personage  but 
a  practitioner  of  great  mental  acumen.  Robert  obtained  a  large 
practice  in  London.  He  weighed  340  pounds,  wore  knee  breeches  and 
gaiters  to  the  last,  had  great  success  in  medicine  but  hated  to  operate 
and  never  stopped  a  woman  when  she  began  to  cry. 

2  Mr.  EUiott  was  probably  Rev.  John  EUiott  of  Boston. 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  77 

struck  it  with  a  mildew,  a  necrosis,  a  yellow  fever,  or  some  other 
of  its  magic  ills. 

In  a  week  or  fortnight  I  expect  to  go  to  the  Westward  with  a 
sleigh.  If  you  have  any  Commissions  for  me  I  shall  discharge  them 
with  pleasure." 

Under  this  Dr.  Noyes,  upon  his  return  writes  with  differ- 
ent pen  and  ink: 

"The  journey  is  performed." 
On  another  line  he  dates : 

"Tuesday,  February  10,  1801.  Mr.  Prescott^  has  this  moment 
called  for  your  books.  I  find  this  old  letter  on  hand,  but  have  not 
time  to  add  more  than  my  acknowledgements  for  the  loan  of  your 
book  and  that  I  remain,  Your  friend,  N.  Noyes." 

Many  of  the  letters  of  this  Collection  treat  of  Masonic 
affairs,  but  as  I  plan  in  this  Life  to  depict  only  the  medical 
career  of  Dr.  Spalding,  they  must  be  omitted.  It  may  be 
said,  however,  that  Dr.  Spalding  was  for  several  years 
Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  Hampshire, 
and  that  owing  to  this  office  he  enjoyed  a  very  wide  ac- 
quaintance throughout  the  State. 

I  find  in  this  connection  that  associated  with  the  Rev. 
George  Richards,^  a  Universalist  preacher  in  Portsmouth,  he 
contributed  to  the  First  American  Edition  of  Preston's 
"Illustrations  of  Masonry"  (1770),  "A  History  of  Masonry 
in  New  Hampshire"  which  remains  permanently  valuable 
with  its  lists  of  historical  names  of  Portsmouth  citizens  and 
Masonic  officials.  He  also  laid,  with  Masonic  Rites,  the 
Corner  stone  of  St.  John's  in  Portsmouth,  June  24,  1807, 

^  Mr.  Prescott  was  George  Washington  Prescott  (1776-1817),  who 
was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1795,  obtained  a  commission  in  the 
Army,  was  repeatedly  Judge  Advocate  at  Courts  Martial  at  the 
Forts  in  Portsmouth  Harbor,  and  later  District  Attorney  for  New 
Hampshire. 

^  Rev.  George  Richards,  who  officiated  at  the  wedding  of  Dr.  Spald- 
ing, here  deserves  annotation.  I  find  him  after  the  Revolution,  a 
teacher  in  Boston,  and  occasionally  preaching.  He  was  pastor  of  the 
UniversaUst  Chiu-ch  in  Portsmouth  from  1793  to  1809,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Philadelphia  where  he  died  about  1814.  He  was  a  profuse 
Masonic  writer,  with  Odes,  Poems  and  Orations,  and  was  very  patriotic, 
dehvering  an  Oration  on  Washington  and  transforming  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  into  a  Poem  which  he  published  at  Faust's  Statue, 
45  Newbury  (now  Washington)  Street,  Boston,  in  1793. 


78  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

placing   beneath   it   a   box  with   gold,    silver   and    copper 
coins.^ 

When  Dr.  Spalding  heard  from  his  friend  Noyes  that  the 
Dartmouth  Medical  School  was  languishing,  he  meditated 
another  course  of  lectures  at  Hanover  and  wrote  concerning 
the  subject  to  his  brother,  Silas,  from  whom  he  had  this 
reply: 

"Cornish,  January  7,  1801.  Dear  Brother:  I  mil  inform  you 
that  I  have  seen  Dr.  Smith  and  asked  him  some  questions  about 
the  business  that  you  wrote,  and  he  said  that  for  his  part  he  should 
be  fond  of  ha^dng  you  come  and  lecture  next  Fall.  Then  I  asked 
him  how  long  you  would  be  obUged  to  stay  if  I  should  take  an  op- 
portunity to  write  to  you  concerning  the  business  that  he  and  I 
had  talked  of.  He  thought  ten  weeks,  but  could  not  tell;  that  was 
not  for  Mm  to  say,  but  the  Dr.  was  in  haste  and  did  not  get  off  of 
his  horse,  and  I  did  not  ask  him  so  many  questions  about  it  as  I 
should  have  done  if  I  had  time.  But  he  told  me  to  wi-ite  for  a  Bill 
of  those  things  that  you  bought,  and  he  would  make  out  to  pay 
for  them.  I  wish  you  would  write  the  longest  time  that  you  will 
stay,  and  I  will  state  to  the  Doctor  whether  his  proposals  will  do 
with  yours. 

Mr.  Chase 2  has  brought  forth  a  demand  against  you  for  ten 
dollars  borrowed  money  and  about  eight  dollars  out  of  the  store, 
and  wished  I  would  write  to  you  about  the  matter  and  what  you 
would  do  about  it,  for  he  wants  it.  Likewise  I  write  to  know  how 
or  whether  you  have  laid  out  any  way  for  to  settle  it,  and  you  must 
write  back  by  the  bearer  hereof,  because  Mr.  Chase  said  he  must 
have  it.  We  received  a  fine  present  from  you  by  Captain  Chase,^ 
and  a  letter  which  pleased  your  parents.  The  shoes  please  the  boy 
greatly.'*  If  you  have  any  old  stockings  that  you  can't  wear  I 
should  be  glad  that  you  would  let  me  have  them  to  cut  for  the  boy^ 
and  I  will  allow  you  for  them,  when  I  see  you.  Don't  send  them  to 
injure  yourself  about  the  matter.  If  you  can  get  a  lobster  and 
send  up,  I  should  be  glad,  for  it  would  be  quite  a  sight  to  some.    I 

^  Sometime  before  this  event  Dr.  Noyes  of  Newburj^jort  had  written: 
"The  coins  which  you  wrote  for  cannot  be  procured  here  in  any 
quantity,  nor  can  a  Gold  Medal  of  Washington.  A  Silver  one  has  been 
kindly  offered,  and  a  dozen  of  Tin  (Gratis)  which  may  be  enclosed  in 
wax  to  prevent  oxidation.  In  such  a  manner  they  were  placed  under 
St.  Paul's  Church  here." 

2  Mr.  Chase  kept  shop  in  Cornish  and  was  one  of  the  many  Chases 
in  that  town. 

*  Captain  Chase,  probably  Ithamar,  was  a  member  of  the  State 
Assembly. 

*  The  Boy  was  Sanford  Spalding,  at  that  time  almost  a  year  old. 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  79 

have  sent  by  Mr.  Kimball^  twenty  dollars  in  money  for  fear  that 
you  can't  get  in  your  money  and  pay  your  bills  for  Board  as  fast  as 
your  bills  arise,  and  so  you  may  pay  me  when  you  collect  yours  at 
Hanover.  If  you  have  any  old  hat  that  you  don't  wear,  you  may 
send  it  up  for  it  will  do  me  some  service  for  every  day.  My  parents 
have  sent  two  cheeses  as  a  present  to  you  and  my  wife^  can't 
send  any  on  account  of  being  carried  but  she  wishes  you  well. 

Silas  Spalding. 
N.  B.  They  do  say  that  there  is  a  man  by  the  name  of  L. 
Spalding  that  is  a  going  to  be  married,  to,  we  do  not  know  who. 
Therefore  I  wish  you  to  write  the  name  and  whether  that  you  are 
going  to  keep  house  by  yourself,  because  that  my  wife  wiU,  if  she 
can,  send  you  some  butter,  for  Mr.  Kimball  is  going  down  again. 
See  Mr.  Kimball  and  come  up  with  him  if  you  can  make  it  con- 
venient to  have  him  carry  you  back  again.    Adieu." 

The  gossip  in  the  end  of  the  letter  may  be  deciphered  in 
this  way: 

When  Dr.  Spalding  reached  Portsmouth  in  1799,  he  made 
the  acquaintance  of  Captain  Peter  Coues,  to  whose  daughter, 
Elizabeth,  born  December  16,  1779,  be  was  at  this  time  en- 
gaged. Peter  Coues,  the  FIRST  of  that  name,  so  far  as 
known,  was  born  in  St.  Peter's  Parish  in  the  Isle  of  Jersey 
about  1705,  and  was  in  all  probability,  originally  known  as 
Pierre  Le  Caux.  He  emigrated  to  America  and  we  find  that 
on  November  4,  1735,  he  married  at  Portsmouth,  Miss  Mary 
Long  of  Plymouth,  a  descendant  of  the  Drakes.  Peter  Coues 
was  a  Merchant  Mariner  out  of  the  Port  of  Portsmouth  the 
rest  of  his  life.  He  had  previously  served  in  the  Royal 
Navy  as  a  Petty  Officer,  a  position  which  he  had  gained  from 
his  wife's  relation  to  Sir  Digby  Dent,  Admiral  of  the  Fleet. 
His  son,  the  second  Peter  Coues,  was  born  in  Portsmouth, 
July  30,  1736,  was  also  a  ship  master,  was  married  three 
times,  and  had  thirteen  children,  most  of  whom  died  young. 
Dr.  Spalding  and  Miss  Coues  were  married  October  9,  1802, 
and  had  five  children:  Elizabeth  Parkhurst  (1803-1878) 
who  died  unmarried;  Adelaide  Coues  (1805-1898)  who 
married  Captain  Joseph  Foster  of  Gloucester,  Massachu- 
setts; Lyman  Dyer  (1810-1892),  my  father;  Alfred  Peter 
(1815-1844)  a  master  mariner,  lost  at  sea  from  the  Ship 

^  Mr.  Kimball  was  the  stage  coach  driver  from  Cornish  and  Clare- 
mont  to  Portsmouth. 

2  "My  Wife"  was  bom  Theodosia  Holton,  of  Windsor,  Vermont, 
and  Uved  to  be  92. 


80  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Normandie";    and  Edward  Jenner,   who   died  in   1833, 
aged  14. 

Captain  Peter  Coues,  my  great  grandfather,  died  in  1819 
at  the  age  of  82,  and  Mrs.  Spalding,  his  daughter  survived 
her  husband  Dr.  Spalding  several  years,  dying  June  2,  1838, 
at  the  age  of  59. 

A  few  days  after  the  meeting  with  Silas  Spalding  just 
mentioned.  Dr.  Smith  followed  up  the  question  of  the 
lectures  in  this  way: 

"Cornish,  January  24,  1801.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your  favor  by 
Mr.  Woodward;  respecting  your  proposals,  I  will  make  another 
overture,  I  think  you  did  wrong  in  writing  as  you  did  to  the  Presi- 
dent last  Summer.  I  do  not  think  that  the  President  or  the  Board 
of  Trust  have  or  ought  to  have  any  control  over  your  lecturing. 
It  was  I  who  employed  you,  and  they  had  no  business  with  you 
respecting  it,  nor  do  I  think  till  they  give  us  some  money  for  our 
services  that  they  ought  to  set  bounds  to  our  performances,  pro- 
vided we  do  not  injure  the  Institution  or  the  University.  Now  I 
will  say  this  to  you  in  confidence:  that  you  are  at  Uberty  to  come 
and  dehver  the  Chemical  Lectures  at  what  time  and  as  long  or 
short  a  Course  as  you  please,  or  you  can  make  it  advantageous  to 
yourself,  and  I  will  give  you  all  the  support  I  can.  Study  your 
own  advantage  in  the  case  and  I  wiU  be  responsible  to  the  Board 
for  the  rest.  If  you  should  think  of  lecturing,  let  me  know  of  it 
and  I  will  conduct  myself  accordingly. 

Respecting  the  Notes  that  I  hold  against  you,  if  you  should 
keep  your  apparatus,  they  may  remain  in  my  hands  unpaid  till 
you  come  up  to  deliver  the  next  course  of  lectures. 

I  have  only  hinted  these  things  to  you,  being  at  Cornish,  and 
finding  an  opportunity  to  send  direct.  I  will  write  you  again, 
when  at  home,  and  will  be  more  particular.  I  am  with  Respect, 
your  Friend  and  Servant,  Nathan  Smith." 

From  a  letter  of  Dr.  Noyes,  next  in  date,  we  hear  more 
concerning  this  topic. 

" Newburyport,  March  29,  1801.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  the  pleasure 
of  being  able  to  acknowledge  at  once,  the  receipt  of  two  letters  from 
your  pen.  The  one  which  you  did  me  the  honor  of  introducing 
your  Friend  Peck,^  I  was  so  unfortunate  as  not  to  have  time  for 

1  Your  friend  Peck  was  William  Dandridge  Peck  (1763-1822),  then 
living  in  Kittery,  Maine.  He  had  been  graduated  from  Harvard  in 
1782,  but  was  now  carrying  on  salt  works  at  Newcastle  for  his  father, 
who  had  lately  retired  from  the  profession  of  a  naval  architect. 

Professor  Peck,  as  he  later  on  became,  was  an  ingenious  man,  made 
hie  own  microscope,  and  composed  a  list  of  birds  seen  in  Kittery.    He 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  81 

opening,  till  after  his  departure.  Indeed  his  hurry  would  not  permit 
him  to  take  a  seat,  so  that  I  had  no  chance  of  showing  him  any  other 
civility  than  receiving  and  returning  his  hat  in  the  same  moment. 

From  an  expression  in  your  letter,  I  am  led  to  fear  that  I  have 
excited  ideas  concerning  our  friend,  Adams,  a  little  different  from 
what  I  ought  to  have  done.  I  do  not  recollect  ever  to  have  heard 
him  say  or  to  have  heard  of  his  saying  that  he  wished  to  be  a  Lec- 
turer in  Dartmouth.  No,  Sir;  What  I  have  known  of  being  done 
to  effect  that  has  been  done  by  those  friends,  a  part  of  whom  you 
had  to  encounter  at  Hanover,  the  winter  before  last.  As  for  the 
affair  of  Mr.  Prescott,^  I  believe  that  he  partly  misunderstood  my 
expression.  I  did  not  say,  or  did  not  intend  to  say  that  you  were 
obUged  to  resign  the  office  of  Lecturer.  This,  Sir,  was  my  idea: 
that  you  could  not  carry  your  plan  for  contracting  the  term  to 
four  weeks,  and  this  I  retained,  till  I  received  your  last  letter.  I 
took  the  idea  from  the  plan  having  been  rejected  by  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  last  August,  and  their  not  having  met  since;  and,  thought 
that  the  conversation  of  Dr.  Smith  tended  to  confirm  it.  There- 
fore, when  Prescott  told  me  that  you  were  about  returning  to  your 
office,  I  concluded  that  it  might  be  agreeably  to  the  old  establish- 
ment. With  regard  to  the  question  whether  you  had  better  re- 
turn or  not  return,  I  can  hardly  presume  to  give  advice.  I  have 
told  you  already  that  I  considered  your  resignation  as  a  misfortune 
to  the  College,  but  still  doubt  how  far  that  evil  may  be  repaired  by 
"4  Weeks  Absence  from  Portsmouth."  I  suspect  that  in  order 
to  make  the  business  profitable  for  yourself  and  for  the  College 
more  time  might  be  devoted  to  the  College,  for  four  weeks  are  al- 
together inadequate  to  the  purpose  of  giving  any  considerable 
knowledge  of  Chemistry  to  persons  busied  in  half  a  dozen  kinds 
of  other  exercises. 

For  yourself,  if  you  adhere  to  your  old  plan,  the  Authority  ^  will 
be  soured,  the  ahenation  of  the  scholars  will  be  probably  increased, 
and  you  will  find  yourself  in  a  disagreeable  situation.  For,  at 
Hanover,  my  friend,  there  are  few  resting  places  between  Zenith 
and  NADIR. 

Even  Dr.  Smith,  I  am  pretty  confident,  does  not  LIKE  your 
plan. 

visited  the  White  Mountains  in  1803  and  published  an  account  of  the 
Flora  of  that  region.  He  won  a  gold  medal  for  an  essay  "On  Slug 
Worms"  and  was  famous  for  his  account  of  the  Sea  Serpent  which  he 
saw  off  Portsmouth  Lighthouse.  After  being  appointed  Professor  of 
Natural  History  at  Harvard,  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  in  Cambridge. 

1  The  Affair  of  Mr.  Prescott  refers  to  mere  gossip  brought  from 
Dartmouth  by  him,  concerning  the  Lectureship. 

^  The  Authority  simply  suggests  that  those  in  Authority  would  be 
peevish  at  him. 


82  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

The  other  day  I  had  the  pleasure  of  announcing  a  new  remedy; 
now  I  have  the  pain  of  announcing  a  new  disease.  New,  I  mean 
to  the  Materia  Medica,  and  Nosology.  I  have  indeed  heard  the 
words  Daimonophobia,  but  nowherewith  any  appropriate  mean- 
ing, or  if  "wdth  any,  for  a  merely  mental  affection.  But,  here, 
ALAS!  we  find  this  affection  combined  with  diseased  sensation 
and  muscular  motion.  Yes,  in  a  most  horrid  manner.  Two 
patients  of  mine  have  had,  I  beheve,  as  many  as  a  hundred  par- 
oxysms of  convulsions  in  a  day!  Tliis  you  will  perhaps  say  is  no 
new  disease.  First  hear  the  whole  history,  and  then  judge  whether 
the  convulsions  are  more  than  a  mere  symptom. 

You  have  probably  heard  of  the  STIR,  the  AWAKENING  or 
REFORMATION  that  has  happened  among  us  this  winter.  It 
has  amongst  a  certain  class  of  people  put  almost  an  entire  stop  to 
business,  and  made  MEETINGS  the  order  of  the  day!  !  Yes,  and 
of  the  Night!  These,  have  been  the  work  shops  of  disease:  there, 
heated  imaginations  have  been  heated  loigher,  by  the  reaction  of 
expression.  There,  the  continual  blowings  of  sympathy  have  in- 
flamed the  passions  to  a  degree  resembhng  the  combustion  of 
hydrogen.  The  effects  show,  how  well-persons,  affected  with 
PARTIAL  MANIA  may  agree  when  their  hallucinations  are  the 
same.  Had  the  man  who  fancied  his  Hmbs  were  glass,  met  with 
a  Society  who  had  similar  notions,  how  careful  would  they  have 
been  in  handhng  each  other's  brittle  bodies!  and  how  would  they 
have  reprobated  the  rest  of  mankind  for  then*  foohsh  temerity! 
You  see  that  I  consider  my  townsmen  as  maniacs.  I  am  confident 
that  if  one  of  our  present  fashionable  speakers  had  appeared  in 
pubhc  in  any  common  time,  he  would  pretty  generally  have  been 
taken  for  a  madman.  This  disease  in  its  milder  forms  first  mani- 
fests itself  by  a  crying  out  in  public  generally  in  the  midst  of  some 
Prayer  or  Speech.  It  is  a  sort  of  howhng  such  as  you  have  probably 
heard  from  women  of  great  irritability  when  in  the  midst  of  a 
rapid  labor.  It  seems  to  me  a  mixed  expression  of  pain  and  hor- 
ror. More  or  less  of  this  pecuUarity  of  one  seems  to  run  through 
all  the  different  stages  of  this  disease.  The  cry  is  often  attended 
or  preceded  by  various  gesticulations  and  convulsive  twitcliing  ac- 
cording to  the  severity  of  the  case.  In  one,  the  disease  was 
ushered  in  by  swooning  followed  by  convulsive  tremors,  and  then 
the  cry!  A  never  failing  symptom  is  a  violent  pain  at  the  scrobic- 
ulus:  craving  at  the  stomach,  pulse  slow,  soft,  and  languid.  The 
breathing  commonly  corresponds.  The  countenance  exhibits  a 
peculiar  kind  of  maniacal  wildness. 

As  to  the  convulsions,  the  patients  first  fall  into  a  kind  of  syn- 
cope, presently  the  limbs  would  begin  to  twitch  and  then  to  be 
violently  agitated,  whilst  the  neck  and  bodies  would  be  bent  back- 
ward.   As  the  convulsions  left  the  extremities,  they  would  seize 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  83 

upon  the  thorax  and  heave  it  hke  the  waves  of  a  pond,  forcing  out 
the  breath  in  groans  and  cries.  A  violent  palpitation  comes  on  at 
the  same  time,  together  with  an  attempt  to  bite  the  attendant. 
The  fits  come  10,  20,  in  quick  succession,  and  sometimes  amount 
to  HUNDREDS  in  the  24  hours.  In  the  first  case  these  con- 
vulsions lasted  several  weeks.  One  patient  had  just  suffered  from 
a  concussion  of  the  brain,  but,  as  it  acted  just  like  the  other,  the 
symptoms  convinced  me,  that  concussion  was  not  the  SOLE  cause. 
Various  remedies  were  of  no  avail,  the  paroxysms  increased  in 
frequency  and  the  friends  were  convinced  that  the  patient  had 
not  long  to  live.  In  what  seemed  a  new  disease  I  tried  a  new 
remedy;  weighed  out  a  grain  of  Lettuce  gum  which  soon  produced 
an  hour  of  quiet  sleep.  This  induced  me  at  the  next  visit  to  pre- 
scribe 4  grains  to  be  given  in  two  equal  portions,  at  intervals  of  six 
hours.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  and  until  the  operation  of  the 
second  dose  had  ceased  there  were  no  more  convulsions,  or  delirium. 
The  gum  has  been  continued  several  days  and  the  progress  of  amend- 
ment has  been  evident.  The  pupils  of  the  eyes  have  however  been 
more  dilated.  I  am  convinced  therefore  to  entertain  a  pretty 
favorable  opinion  of  the  ANTISPASMODIC  power  of  Lettuce 
gum. 

According  to  your  request  I  shall  inclose  a  specimen  of  the  gum. 
It  would  give  me  pleasure  to  send  you  more,  if  in  my  power.  If 
you  have  occasion  to  use  any  of  it,  I  wish  that  you  would  weigh  the 
doses  and  write  me  the  results.  For,  I  begin  to  have  some  serious 
thoughts  of  stating  my  experiments  on  the  subject  to  Dr.  Mitchill. 
I  think  the  medicine  too  useful  to  be  concealed. 

You  pubhshed  if  I  mistake  not,  last  year,  an  account  of  your 
having  extracted  considerable  proportions  of  magnesia  from  the 
Specimen  of  Green  Stone  ^  which  you  took  from  our  neighborhood, 
I  would  thank  you  for  a  short  sketch  of  your  Process,  and  some 
account  of  the  results.  For,  I  have  been  experimenting  some  time 
on  this  stone  and  can  in  no  way  obtain  any  magnesia  worth  reckon- 
ing. When  shall  we  hear  from  the  "Annals"  or  "Review?"  The 
money  is  in  the  purse!  Do  well,  Farewell,  and  be  assured  that  you 
are  still  growing  in  the  esteem  and  friendship  of  Ego  Je."^ 

With  this  letter  from  Dr.  Noyes  all  mention  concerning 
the  Lectureship  at  Dartmouth  ceased. 

^  The  Green  Stone  still  abounds  in  Newburyport,  but  I  have  never 
yet  heard  that  it  had  been  exploited  for  magnesia,  something  which 
from  Dr.  Spalding's  experiments  might  seem  worth  the  while. 

2  Dr.  Noyes'  account  of  Rehgious  Mania  ensuing  upon  Revivals, 
has  medico-historical  value,  because  the  same  syndromes  are  in  these 
days  known  in  Russia  as  Kilkushism,  and  are  treated  with  Hjrpnotic 
suggestions  by  Bogdanoff. 


84  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Some  time  in  the  year  1797  Dr.  Spalding  with  Ithamar 
Chase  established  in  Cornish  a  Town  Library,  and  soon 
after  arriving  in  Portsmouth,  he  tried  to  revive  the  Ports- 
mouth Library,  a  private  Institution,  by  means  of  new  sub- 
scribers. Once  elected  Librarian,  the  position  brought  him 
many  acquaintances  and  one  morning  in  1801,  at  which 
time  we  have  now  arrived,  he  received  a  letter  addressed  in 
this  odd  style: 

"To  Doctor.  A  Gentleman  who  formerly  had  his  lodgings  at 
Mrs.  Moore's  and  Mrs.  Frazier's  in  Pitt  St.,  and  afterwards  took 

up  his  abode  by  Parson Assistant  Minister  to  Dr.  Haven. 

With  a  Pies  of  the  Famous  Eye  Root  used  by  the  natives  of  Guyana. 
Portsmouth.    New  Hampshire." 

On  opening  it,  he  found  a  communication  from  Mr. 
Nicholas  Rousselet,  one  of  the  most  interesting  men  who 
ever  lived  in  Portsmouth.  The  first  trace  that  I  find  of 
him  from  an  old  Cash  Book  of  his  in  my  possession  is  of  his 
being  in  Boston  in  1787,  at  which  time  he  sold  flax  seed  and 
oil  for  a  Musical  Society  and  Charity  Convention  in  that 
town  under  the  auspices  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stillman  and  Rev. 
Mr.  Parker. 

I  next  find  him  in  Demerara,  in  1796,  and  then  in  Ports- 
mouth at  the  end  of  that  year,  where  he  remained  until 
after  the  death  of  his  wife,  in  1800,  when  he  returned  to 
Demerara  whither  his  daughter,  Lucy  Adrianna,  followed 
him  and  where  I  presume  that  they  both  died. 

He  offered  himself  to  Miss  Katharine  Moffatt  of  Ports- 
mouth in  St.  John's  Church  by  handing  her  a  Bible  opened 
at  St.  John's  2d  Epistle,  "And  now  I  beseech  thee,  lady,  not 
as  though  I  wrote  a  new  commandment,  but  that  which  was 
from  the  beginning,  that  we  love  one  another."  She,  it  is 
said,  returned  him  the  Bible  opened  at  Ruth  1:  16,  with  this 
text:   "Whither  Thou  Goest,  I  will  go." 

Mr,  Rousselet  owned  considerable  real  estate,  and  col- 
lected a  fine  Museum  in  Portsmouth,  remnants  of  which  may 
still  be  seen  in  The  Athenaeum. 

Here  is  his  letter,  exactly  copied,  word  for  word: 

"Sir.  I  sent  you  the  Root  of  a  Tree;  the  Juice  of  it,  is  used  by 
the  natives  of  the  Country  for  the  cure  of  Sore  Eyes  Inflammation 
etc.  You  please  to  Scrape  the  Root  and  Squeeze  the  Juice,  for  I 
suppose  it  will  be  dried  up  before  you  get  it  —  inform  me  of  my 
friends  and  acquaintances  and  ask  Parson  (I  forgot  his  name)  if 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  85 

he  will  be  so  kind  to  Instruct  my  Daughter  at  Mrs.  PurceD,  the 
french  language.  I  will  pay  him  handsomely  and  if  she  writ  me  a 
Small  Letter  in  the  french  language  in  twelve  months,  from  the 
day  of  his  Tuition,  I  promise  to  pay  him  as  a  Compensation  for 
his  particular  attention  Twe  and  twenty  Dollars :  Cash. 
I  remain  D'R  S'R  Your  Most  Ob;  Servant.    N.  Roxjsselet." 

Not  long  afterward  Captain  George  Boardman,  a  Master 
Mariner  of  Portsmouth  brought  another  letter  from  Mr. 
Rousselet  thus  directed: 

"To  the  Gentleman  Secretary  of  the  Portsmouth  Library. 
Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire. 

Sir:  the  best  gift  a  Father  can  give  his  Child  is  a  good  education, 
under  that  Head  I  understand  Every  Improvering  Of  the  mind. 
As  Literature  is  a  Essential  part  of  the  improverment,  I  have  sent 
my  Daughter  Lucy  Adriana  Rousselet  Twenty  Five  Dollars  in 
Specie  to  purchase  a  Share  in  the  Portsmouth  Library;  You  be 
pleased  to  admit  her  a  Member  and  to  give  the  Deed  in  her  Name 
and  Heirs  after  her,  or  So  as  other  members  have  receive  it  ...  it 
may  occasion  other  Misses  to  foUow  Lucy  Rousselet's  Example  for 
those  Misses  will  become  in  time  mothers  and  by  that  means  the 
Aggrandisement  of  the  Portsmouth  Library  will  insensibly  take 
place  and  become  in  few  years  a  Extensive  Collection;  I  remain 
with  Respect,  Sir,  Your  Most  Ob  Servant:  No.  Rousselet."^ 

Another  acquaintance  now  formed  was  with  Dr.  David 
Ramsay  (1749-1815)  who  was  graduated  at  Princeton  and 
at  Pennsylvania  University,  served  as  an  Army  Surgeon 
during  the  Revolution,  and  was  a  Member  of  the  Conti- 
nental Congress.  Numerous  medical  papers,  a  "History  of 
South  Carolina"  and  a  "Life  of  Washington"  attracted 
much  attention.  He  introduced  pure  water  into  Charleston, 
and  worked  indefatigably  for  twenty  hours  out  of  every 
twenty-four.  He  was  killed  by  an  insane  person  for  some 
fancied  grievance.  Dr.  Ramsay's  hand-writing  is  very 
difficult  to  read,  but  his  two  letters  of  the  year  1801  are 
worth  the  eye  strain  involved  in  deciphering  them. 

1  I  print  these  notes  as  they  read.  If  they  look  odd,  so  do  our  at- 
tempts in  writing  letters  in  a  foreign  language  look  odd  to  natives  ia 
that  language.  I  believe  from  frequent  use  of  Dutch  words,  and 
mentions  of  Dutch  Sea  Captains  in  Mr.  Rousselet's  Cash  Book,  that 
he  came  from  Holland. 

"The  Eye  Root"  may  be  the  Jequirity  plant  of  the  XIX  Century, 
an  infusion  from  the  seeds  of  which  is  much  used  in  the  cure  of  trachoma, 
a  contagious  eye  disease  of  today. 


86  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Charleston,  South  Carohna.  April  14,  1801.  Sir.  I  received 
your  Syllabus  of  Lectures  on  Chemistry,  and  have  perused  it  with 
great  pleasiue.  You  have  in  some  respects  improved  on  the 
arrangements  of  your  predecessors.  It  gives  me  much  pleasure 
that  your  University  has  paid  so  much  attention  to  the  important 
topic  as  to  estabhsh  a  Professorship  for  instructing  our  Youth  in 
Chemistrj',  which  is  but  a  novel  study  in  America.  I  was  among 
the  first  pupils  who  attended  Dr.  Rush,  the  first  Professor  of 
Chemistry  in  America.  That  was  30  years  ago,  but  we  knew  little 
of  the  matter  at  that  time.  Botany  and  Chemistry  appear  to  me 
to  be  among  the  most  important  studies  in  our  young  country.  I 
am  also  pleased  that  you  are  drawing  attention  to  this,  and  par- 
ticularlj^  to  our  vegetables  and  minerals. 

I  feel  myself  obhged  for  your  letter  and  present,  and  would  gladly 
receive  every  Literary  Work  that  our  Country  produces.  If  any- 
thing of  mine  was  deemed  worthy  of  acceptance  or  exchange,  I 
should  consider  myself  the  obliged  person. 

You  mention  the  Extract  of  Lettuce  used  as  an  Opiate.  I  would 
be  much  gratified  by  hearing  farther  from  you  on  that  subject. 
How  is  it  prepared?  In  what  dose  is  it  used  and  what  are  its 
specific  effects?  I  regret  I  have  no  acquaintance  with  any  of  the 
Gentlemen  of  your  University.  The  brother  of  your  President  was 
my  Classmate  at  Princeton  in  1765,'  but  I  have  been  informed  that 
he  is  dead.  I  have  heard  that  your  President  was  here,  leaving  an 
elaborate  work  "On  the  Rise  and  Fall  of  Nations." 

I  rejoice  to  hear  of  every  Literary  undertaking  that  bids  fair  to 
raise  the  reputation  of  our  new  Country.  We  are  making  rapid 
advances  in  wealth,  population  and  commerce.  If  we  can  see  to  it, 
that  our  improvements  in  Science  and  Virtue  are  equal  to  our  other 
improvements,  we  shall  be  the  First  People  in  the  World.  You  will, 
heremth,  receive  a  copy  of  my  "Review  of  the  Eighteenth  Century," 
which  I  beg  you  to  accept,  and  to  believe  that  I  feel  myself  highly 
honored  by  your  attention.  I  am  with  Great  Regard,  etc.  David 
Ramsay." 

In  replying,  Dr.  Spalding  forwarded  some  Lettuce-gum 
by  a  friend  from  Portsmouth  and  in  due  season  was  favored 
with  this  second  letter  from  Dr.  Ramsay. 

"Charleston,  November  20,  1801.  Sir.  I  received  your  favor 
of  September  30,  by  Mr.  Folsom  with  whom  I  have  also  had  the 
pleasure  of  forming  an  acquaintance.  He  has  also  been  my  patient, 
and  the  very  last  I  had  with  the  Yellow  Fever.    The  practice  which 

'  The  allusion  to  the  "Brother  of  your  President"  and  "Your 
President"  are  obscure  for  no  Whcelock  appears  on  Princeton  Catalogs 
nor  did  any  Wheelock  write  the  book  mentioned. 


NEW  ACQUAINTANCES  87 

I  found  successful  in  other  cases,  succeded  with  him.  The  principal 
part  of  this  was  salivation.  In  every  instance  where  the  patient 
salivated  freely,  he  recovered.  Mr.  Folsom  took  ten  grains  of 
calomel  every  two  hours  until  my  object  was  attained.  I  then 
pronounced  him  safe.  In  some  other  cases  I  have  given  180  grains 
of  calomel  without  effect  as  to  salivation.  In  those  cases  death  was 
the  consequence. 

John  Hunter's  position  ^  that  two  actions  cannot  exist  at  the  same 
time  in  the  System  is  the  foundation  of  this  practice :  perhaps  of  all 
efficacious  practice  in  medicine.  This  is  a  great  and  luminous  idea, 
which  in  the  course  of  time  will,  I  doubt  not,  greatly  lessen  the 
number  of  incurable  diseases. 

I  thank  you  for  your  communication  in  relation  to  oxygen.^  I 
believe  it  to  be  a  remarkable  medicine,  but  many  experiments  are 
necessary  to  ascertain  its  precise  virtues  and  effects.  A  few  have 
been  made  here  with  various  success. 

In  the  proper  Season  I  shall  have  some  extract  of  lettuce  prepared 
in  the  manner  you  direct.  If  it  produces  no  constipation,  and  no 
affection  of  the  head,  it  wiU  be  a  very  valuable  addition  to  the 
Materia  Medica. 

On  my  reading  your  letter  to  Mrs.  Ramsay ,3  who  had  resided  8 
years  in  France,  she  informed  me  that  during  her  residence  there 
she  had  often  known  French  Physicians  to  prescribe  Lettuce  Tea  in 
Catarrhal  and  even  in  Consumptive  complaints  and  with  good 
effects.    This  must  have  been  in  consequence  of  its  anodjnie  powers. 

Have  you  ever  used  Rhubarb  in  powder  as  a  dressing  to  old  sores? 
I  have  used  it  in  cases  in  which  the  process  of  granulation  seemed  to 
be  at  a  stand,  as  it  appeared  to  me  to  assist  nature  in  renewing  that 
process,  especially  where  the  sores  are  covered  with  a  black  slough! 

Your  Fellow  Student  in  the  RepubHc  of  Medicine.  David 
Ramsay." 

1  John  Hvmter  (1728-1793),  idle  as  a  boy,  became  a  famous  physician. 
His  writings  were  enormous  in  quantity  and  stimulating  in  quality. 
As  a  lecturer  he  was  not  successful,  but  as  a  writer,  investigator  and 
original  thinker  he  stood  alone. 

2  The  oxygen  mentioned  in  Dr.  Spalding's  letter  to  Ramsay  was  a 
favorite  remedy  with  which  he  had  made  many  experiments  at  Ports- 
mouth. 

^  Mrs.  Ramsay  before  her  marriage  was  Miss  Martha  Laurens, 
daughter  of  Honorable  Henry  Laurens,  Minister  to  HoUand  and  a 
signer  of  Peace  between  Great  Britain  and  this  Country.  Miss  Laurens 
was  very  generous  to  the  French  peasants  during  her  long  sojourn 
abroad. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Public  Tests  of  the  Preventive  Valtte  of  Vaccination.     1801. 

Although  Dr.  Spalding  had  vaccinated  many  people  in 
Portsmouth,  most  of  the  population  held  aloof  from  fear  of 
introducing  a  poison  into  their  system  or  from  dread  that 
the  new  disease  would  be  worse  than  the  old.  Progress  in 
vaccination  was  also  slow,  because  no  proof  of  its  value  as 
a  preventive  against  Small  Pox  had  been  shown  in  America. 
At  most,  vague  rumors  to  that  effect  had  come  from  abroad, 
although  it  was  known  that  Dr.  Waterhouse  after  vacci- 
nating his  children  had  ''taken  them  through"  a  Small  Pox 
Hospital,  without  subsequent  harm.  In  a  later  essay  he 
claimed  that  the  first  pubUc  tests  of  the  preventive  effect  of 
vaccination  were  made  at  Noddle's  Island,  in  Boston  Harbor, 
in  1802.  Documents  now  before  us,  however,  show  that 
similar  pubHc  tests  were  made  by  Dr.  Spalding  at  Ports- 
mouth in  1801. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  1801,  Dr.  Spalding  published  in  the 
"Portsmouth  Oracle"  a  CARD,  in  which  he  stated  that  he 
was  forming  a  Class  for  Vaccination  Tests,  so  that  when  a 
case  of  Small  Pox  should  occur,  the  members  of  the  Class 
could  go  and  live  with  the  small  pox  patient  in  the  hospital 
used  for  that  purpose  and  be  inoculated  also  with  the  small 
pox  virus  from  the  patient.  Four  persons  accepted  the  in- 
vitation to  what  seemed  a  rash  experiment  and  after  vacci- 
nation, waited  until  August  1,  when  a  man  with  small  pox 
entered  the  hospital.  The  Class,  including  Dr.  Spalding, 
joined  him  and  remained  one  week,  when  a  second  case  ap- 
peared and  with  these  two  patients  the  class  lived  on  intimate 
terms  and  were  inoculated  with  the  actual  virus.  When  the 
members  of  the  class  all  came  off  scot-free  of  the  small  pox, 
the  efficacy  of  vaccination  was  believed  in,  and  large  numbers 
were  successfully  vaccinated. 

This  Historic  Class  consisted  of  Silas  Holman,  a  merchant 
on  Pier  Wharf,  Henry  and  Eliphalet  Ladd,  the  sons  of 
Colonel  Henry  Ladd,  all  of  Portsmouth,  John  Oilman,  the 
son  of  Mr.  John  Oilman  of  Exeter,  and  of  Dr.  Spalding. 

88 


PUBLIC  TESTS  OF  VACCINATION  89 

Until  an  earlier  date  is  proved  by  documents,  it  would 
seem  that  Dr.  Spalding  was  the  First  Physician  to  vindicate 
publicly  the  preventive  value  of  vaccination  against  Small 
Pox. 

Flushed  with  his  success  he  sent  the  ''infection,"  as  the 
scabs  were  then  called,  to  Dr.  Smith,  who  thus  replied: 

"Hanover,  August  25,  1801.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  to  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  two  letters  from  you  since  I  wrote  you  last.  .  I  am 
under  great  obligation  to  you  for  the  kine  pox  infection,  which  I 
received  in  your  first  letter.  I  have  always  been  of  opinion  that  we 
should  arrive  at  such  a  degree  of  knowledge  about  the  business  of 
kine  pox  as  to  make  it  a  substitute  for  the  Small  Pox,  and  I  have 
attributed  the  failure  of  it  in  several  instances  to  our  ignorance  of 
the  disease,  and  the  proper  mode  of  communicating  it.  I  have  used 
some  of  the  infection,  which  you  sent  me,  but  it  is  not  yet  time  to 
determine  anything  certain  respecting  it,  as  I  have  never  submitted 
any  of  my  patients  to  the  infection  of  the  small  pox,  which  I  intend 
shortly  to  do,  and  will  then  write  you  of  the  result. 

Respecting  medical  affairs  I  have  nothing  very  important. 
People  will  die  with  the  consumption  and  cancer  in  spite  of  Arsenic 
and  Alkalies.  You  have  doubtless  heard  of  the  famous  cancer 
curers  in  Philadelphia  and  New  York.  We  have  lately  had 
melancholy  proof  of  their  power,  in  this  part  of  the  country.  A 
Mr.  Goodwin  of  Putney  had  a  large  tumor  on  his  left  side  below  the 
axilla,  which  was  of  the  cancerous  kind.  I  extirpated  the  tumor  and 
charged  him  and  his  physician  to  watch,  and  if  any  new  tumor 
arose,  to  have  it  extirpated  immediately.  About  six  months  after 
the  operation  a  small  tumor  appeared  in  the  site  of  the  former.  He 
came  to  see  me  on  the  subject  after  it  was  as  large  as  a  walnut.  I 
urged  him  to  let  me  extirpate  it,  as  it  was  quite  circumscribed.  He 
promised  to  come  and  have  it  done  soon,  but  went  to  New  York, 
where  something  was  done,  which  caused  the  tumor  to  mortify, 
either  by  internal  or  external  means.  I  do  not  know  the  particulars, 
but  it  left  half  a  dozen  behind,  worse  than  at  the  first  and  in  a  short 
time  so  injured  his  health,  which  was  good  when  I  saw  him,  that  he 
returned  cancerated,  and  in  complete  despair  of  a  cure.  I  purpose 
to  learn  the  particulars  of  the  treatment,  and  wiU  then  pubUsh  the 
Case  for  the  benefit  of  the  New  York  Cancer  Curers. 

I  have  lately  on  a  well  known  principle  of  the  Animal  Oeconomy, 
been  very  successful  in  curing  debilitated  limbs,  such  as  are  emaci- 
ated and  with  flabbiness  of  the  muscles.  I  direct  the  patient  to 
plunge  the  hmb  into  the  coldest  water  possible  for  a  minute  or  two, 
as  the  case  may  be,  and  then  plunge  it  into  water  heated  above  an 
hundred  degrees.  This  repeated  for  some  time  has  been  abundantly 
useful,  more  so  than  any  other  ever  before  employed  by  me,  and 


90  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

finding  this  treatment  successful  with  a  part  of  the  body,  I  have 
appUed  it  to  the  whole,  and  with  advantage. 

I  have  had  a  very  singular  case  in  Claremont,  where  a  tumor  was 
formed  in  the  uterus  which  weighed  two  pounds,  9  ounces.  It  was, 
after  producing  what  the  woman  termed  a  "bearing  down"  for  six 
years,  expelled  by  the  contraction  of  the  organ  and  action  of  the 
abdominal  muscles,  so  that  when  I  was  called,  I  found  it  attached  by 
a  cord  or  rope  similar  to  the  lunbihcal  cord  of  the  foetus.  I  sepa- 
rated the  tmnor  by  tying  the  cord  above  where  I  cut  it  off.  The 
tumor  had  no  appearance  of  organization  but  was  entirely  of  the 
steatomatous  kind.  The  woman  has  recovered  her  health  to  a 
degree.  The  growth  of  the  tumor  affected  the  breasts  and  she  had 
milk  in  them  like  a  woman  who  is  pregnant. 

I  lost  a  patient  a  few  days  since  where  I  amputated  the  thigh. 
The  case  went  well  until  the  11th  day  from  the  operation,  when  he 
was  attacked  with  intermitting  fever  (having  been  exposed  to  the 
contagion  of  it  before)  and  he  died  on  the  7th  day  from  the  attack 
of  the  fever.    The  sore  was  nearly  healed  when  he  died. 

Respecting  our  settlement,  it  will  be  quite  impossible  for  me  to 
close  my  business  with  you  so  as  to  send  it  by  the  bearer,  as  it  is  now 
past  midnight  and  he  goes  tomorrow  morning,  early,  and  I,  in  no 
preparation  to  do  it  so  soon.  But,  you  may  rely  on  it,  that  I  will 
not  neglect  you  much  longer,  and  think  you  may  depend  on  some 
commimication  from  me  about  the  1st  of  October.  I  have  been  too 
busy  this  Summer  for  my  profit,  as  I  have  been  obliged  to  neglect 
collecting  entirely.  My  bills  have  amounted  to  a  moderate  sum, 
but  it  does  not  help  me  at  present. 

I  have  just  heard  that  Dr.  Abraham  Hedge  is  dead.^  He  died  by 
bleeding  at  the  lungs.  He  was  in  Chester.  He  sent  for  me,  but  I 
was  at  Walpole,  and  did  not  see  him.  I  have  written  much,  I  fear 
too  much  for  your  patience.  If  you  get  out  of  business,  let  me  know 
and  I  will  write  again.  I  have  not  read  what  I  have  written,  nor 
have  I  time  to  do  it,  so  you  must  take  it  as  it  is  and  pick  it  out. 
With  High  Esteem,  your  friend,  N.  Smith." 

Another  letter  from  Dr.  Smith  may  here  find  place;  un- 
dated, but  probably  written  in  September,  1801. 

"Dear  Sir:  I  have  just  received  your  letter  with  the  enclosed 
infection  which  I  will  immediately  make  trial  of.  The  other  which 
you  sent  me  did  not  succeed  in  producing  the  disease,  and  I  did  not 
much  regret  it,  as  my  business  has  been  very  pressing  here  this 
season,  so  that  I  could  not  have  given  it  a  proper  degree  of  atten- 
tion.   But,  for  the  future,  I  will  attend  to  it,  and  expect  to  have  it 

'  Dr.  Hedge  did  not  die  at  this  time  as  we  shall  see  from  a  later 
letter  from  him. 


PUBLIC  TESTS  OF  VACCINATION  91 

in  my  power  to  put  it  to  the  test  with  the  infection  of  the  small  pox. 
The  people  here  want  to  have  the  efficacy  of  the  kine  pox  proved, 
over  and  over  again.  I  have  received  your  other  letter,  asking  me 
to  write  to  General  Bradley,  which  I  did  immediately  and  in  as 
pressing  terms  as  possible,  and  I  hope  that  it  will  have  effect. 
John  Langdon  and  Nathan  Smith,  will,  I  think,  have  some  influence 
with  the  General. 

My  business  in  practice  has  been,  as  usual,  more  than  I  could  get 
pay  for,  though  I  have  lately  done  better  in  that  respect  than 
formerly.  I  beUeve  I  wrote  you  about  my  operation  for  the  Stone, 
or  rather  STONES,  as  there  were  217  extracted,  which  proved 
successful.  I  have  had  no  capital  operations  of  late,  more  than  an 
amputation  of  the  arm.  I  have  lately  performed  an  operation  for 
a  large  hydrocele  on  Mr.  Bellows  of  Walpole,  which  is  progressing 
toward  an  entire  cure.  I  lately  heard  from  your  brother.  Your 
father's  family  are  all  well.  Mr.  Winthrop  is  here.  I  was  acquainted 
with  him  in  London.  He  is  the  second  person  I  have  seen  from 
London  since  I  left  there.    With  Esteem,  Nathan  Sahth." 

A  little  note  from  Dr.  Spalding  to  Dr.  Crawley  of  London 
is  worth  inserting  now  because  it  shows  how  physicians  then 
imported  their  own  drugs. 

"Portsmouth,  August  1,  180L  Dear  Sir.  Some  time  since  I 
wrote  you  by  Captain  Evans  ^  of  and  from  this  Port,  but  I  now  find 
that  he  sailed  for  Hamburg,  and  will  not  be  in  London  soon.  There- 
fore I  repeat  my  wish,  which  is  to  import  a  few  medicines  for  my 
own  use.  I  will  therefore  thank  you  to  mention  your  terms,  and  to 
send  a  general  catalogue  by  the  bearer,  C.  Bayley.  If  agreeable,  I 
will  by  the  Spring  Ship  send  you  a  Bill  of  Exchange  for  your  medi- 
cines.   I  remain  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't,  Lyman  Spalding." 

Whilst  awaiting  a  reply  to  this  letter,  a  welcome  message 
arrived  from  Dr.  Noah  Spalding,  begun  at  Royalton,  Ver- 
mont, and  finished  at  Hanover,  August  22d,  180L 

"Sir.  The  whispers  of  friendship  now  move  my  pen  to  inform 
you  of  my  present  prospects.  Since  I  saw  you  I  first  spent  about 
two  months  at  Cornish  in  Pedagoging,  after  which  I  made  a  tour  to 
Newbury,  Vermont,  where  finding  a  young  man  had  taken  the  stand, 
had  been  well  recommended,  etc.,  I  did  not  think  proper  to  attempt 
dividing  the  business  with  him.  Accordingly,  ha"\ang  heard  that 
Royalton  was  soon  to  be  deprived  of  its  first  physician,  Dr.  Allen,  I 
made  my  way  to  see  for  myself,  but  on  my  arrival  I  found  another 

^  Captain  Estwick  Evans  who  went  to  Hambiu-g  was  a  sea  captain 
of  Portsmouth  and  Captain  Cazneau  Bayley  was  also  a  sea  farer  and 
Grand  Marshal  of  the  Lodge  of  Masons  by  whom  he  was  buried  with 
high  Masonic  ceremonies,  January  27th,  1808,  at  the  age  of  41. 


92  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Doctor  on  the  ground,  but  being  tired  of  relinquishing  the  field 
without  a  contest  I  took  residence  in  the  same  street,  and  in  about 
two  weeks  he  left  the  to-wn.  Dr.  Allen  has  not  yet  left  the  place, 
but  I  expect  he  will  do  it  in  about  four  weeks.  My  business  has 
been  as  good  as  I  could  expect,  considering  the  general  health. 
Prompt  pay  is  out  of  fashion  with  us,  but  you  may  expect  to  receive 
a  share  in  the  first  fruits  of  my  labor. ^  Nothing  worthy  of  your 
reading  has  occurred  in  my  practice,  save  that  in  what  business  I 
have  had,  I  have  been  very  successful.  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
hearing  of  your  welfare,  repeatedly,  but  have  received  no  hne  since 
your  present  of  Mr.  Alden's  Sermon,^  for  which  accept  my  thanks. 

Dr.  Smith  is  doing  business  at  a  great  rate.  We  have  lately  had 
the  sad  news  of  Mr.  Lemuel  Hedge's^  suicide,  and  of  Dr.  Hedge's 
death  by  consimiption,  but  in  such  a  way  that  we  hope  it  is  not  true. 
Miss  Hannah  Brewster^  was  yesterday  joined  to  the  pale  nation  of 
the  dead  by  the  consumption.  The  exercises  at  Commencement  are 
few  and  poorly  performed,  or  else  I  am  no  judge  of  talents. 

A.  Torrey  takes  a  stand  at  Chelsea,  S.  Day  at  Middleburg,  and  I 
beheve  that  J.  Marsh  takes  a  residence  at  Londonderry. 

I  hope  for  the  pleasure  of  a  farther  correspondence,  and  should  you 
hear  of  any  good  vacancy  open,  you  will  obhge  me  by  giving  in- 
formation as  this  place,  Royalton,  is  thinly  inhabited  and  not  very 
prosperous.    Yours,  Noah  Spalding." 

Captain  Bayley  not  only  took  a  letter  to  Dr.  Crawley,  as 
we  have  seen,  but  one  still  more  important  to  Dr.  Edward 
Jenner,  and  here  is  the  place  to  insert  Captain  Bayley's 
report. 

"London,  November  1,  1801.  Brother  Spalding:  Agreeable  to 
your  request  I  deUvered  your  letters,  according  to  the  directions. 
Doctor  WiUiam  Crawley  is  a  man  of  great  respectability  in  this 

1  "Share  in  the  first  fruits"  may  mean  that  Dr.  Noah  still  owed  Dr. 
Lyman  Spalding  some  money. 

2  "Mr.  Alden"  was  Rev.  Timothy  Alden  (1781-1839)  with  whom 
Dr.  Spalding  lodged  at  one  time.  He  was  graduated  at  Harvard, 
then  taught,  and  later  on  was  assistant  to  Rev.  Dr.  Haven,  Pastor  of 
the  South  Church  in  Portsmouth.  Mr.  Alden  opened  in  Portsmouth  a 
Female  Seminary  which  caused  him  to  be  so  well  known  as  an  instruc- 
tor, that  he  was  called  to  the  Presidency  of  Alleghany  College  in  Penn- 
sylvania. Every  Antiquary  admires  Mr.  Alden's  delightful  series  of 
"American  Epitaphs"  with  their  valuable  biographical  data,  concern- 
ing deceased  American  Worthies. 

^  The  rumor  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Hedge  was  sad  enough,  but  sadder 
still  the  reality  of  the  suicide  of  Honorable  Lemuel  Hedge  (1765-1801), 
a  very  prominent  Member  of  Congress  from  New  Hampshire. 

*  Miss  Hannah  Brewster  was  a  charming  daughter  of  a  noted 
Hanover  family. 


PUBLIC  TESTS  OF  VACCINATION  93 

place  and  very  much  of  a  gentleman.  He  is  a  large  shipper  of 
articles  in  yom"  line,  and  suppHes  all  the  principal  houses  in  Boston. 
His  usual  term  is  12  months,  with  good  letters  of  recommendation, 
or  if  you  cannot  obtain  THEM,  a  good  bill  of  exchange  at  30  or  90 
days  sight,  will  answer  the  same  purpose.  A  letter  from  Doctor  J. 
Jackson  of  Portsmouth,^  Doctor  Morse  or  Bartlett  of  Boston  will 
get  you  what  articles  you  may  want.  He  keeps  no  printed  hst. 
Make  out  your  orders  for  what  you  may  have  occasion  for,  and  he 
will  fulfill  it.  If  you  write  him,  direct,  "WiUiam  Crawley,  No.  32 
Spittal  Square,  London. 

Your  other  letter  to  Doctor  Edmimd  Jenner,  I  left  at  his  house  in 
Bond  Street,  the  number  I  have  forgot.  He  was  gone  into  the 
Country.  I  left  my  address  so  that  should  he  have  an\i;hing  for 
you,  he  would  know  where  to  find  me.  But  I  have  not  heard  any- 
thing from  him.  I  have  mailed  you  a  catalogue  of  Books,  from  one 
of  the  greatest  Book  Stores  in  Great  Britain. 

I  have  nothing  particular  to  write  respecting  news,  as  you  have 
long  since  heard  of  Peace.  The  definitive  Treaty-  has  not  yet  been 
signed,  but  it  is  expected  to  be  finished  about  the  10  or  12  inst.  I 
think  from  the  debate  in  Parlement,  that  it  is  all  Debtor  to  Great 
Britain  and  no  Cr. 

My  respects  to  all  my  friends,  and  BeKeve  me  to  be  Yours,  On 
the  Square,  Cazneau  Batlet. 

N.B.  I  wrote  you  above,  that  I  had  enclosed  a  Catalogue  of 
Books,  but  that  was  before  I  had  piu-chased  it.  It  is  so  large  that 
I  have  sent  it  to  Boston  to  be  forwarded  by  a  private  opportunity. 
I  have  charged  you  1/6  sterling  for  it." 

Before  inserting  the  reply  from  Doctor  Edward  Jenner 
(1749-1823)  it  may  be  said:  that  he  studied  for  two  years 
with  John  Hunter,  and  assisted  him  materially  in  his  medical 
investigations.  He  was  also  employed  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks 
to  study  Natural  Historj^  in  the  Country.  He  practiced  ex- 
tensively in  Berkeley  in  Gloucestershire  going  about  in  blue 
coat  and  small  clothes,  top  boots  with  silver  spurs  and  a 
silver  handled  whip.     He  obtained  membership  in  the  Royal 

^  Dr.  John  Jackson  (1745-1808)  was  closely  related  to  Dr.  Spalding, 
his  two  sisters  having  in  succession  married  Captain  Peter  Coues,  to 
whose  daughter,  Elizabeth,  Dr.  Spalding  was  now  engaged.  Dr. 
Jackson  was  Surgeon  on  the  Frigate  "Rahleigh"  and  took  part  in  some 
actions  during  the  Revolution.  He  next  practiced  in  Portsmouth,  but 
finally  retired  and  opened  an  xA.pothecar\-  Shop,  doing  a  good  business. 

1  am  glad  to  be  able  to  state  that  the  nrnnber  in  Bond  Street,  Lon- 
don, of  Dr.  Jenner's  house  which  Captain  Bayley  forgot,  was  136. 

2  "The  Treaty"  was  that  of  Amiens,  ratified  m  1802,  but  m  1803 
the  nations  were  fighting  Napoleon  again. 


94  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Society  and  a  degree  of  medicine  from  St.  Andrews  in  1793. 
The  anti-vaccinationists  of  today  are  so  fond  of  sneering  at 
Jenner,  as  "A  so-called  Doctor  Jenner"  that  it  is  well  worth 
while  to  emphasize  at  this  point  his  studies  and  his  actual 
degree  in  medicine. 

Jenner's  first  public  vaccination  was  performed  in  May, 
1796,  although  he  had  long  carried  the  theory  in  his  mind. 
His  first  paper  on  the  subject  was  published  in  1799.  His 
idea  which  has  so  greatly  benefitted  the  Human  Race  was: 
"Cow  Pox  protects  the  Human  Constitution  from  Small 
Pox."  Jemier  moved  at  one  time  to  London,  because  from 
that  metropolis  as  a  center  he  hoped  more  effectually  to 
spread  abroad  his  views,  but  patients  did  not  patronize  him 
extensively,  politics  interfered  with  his  ingenious  idea,  his 
expenses  prove  to  be  more  than  he  could  provide  for,  and  he 
returned  in  a  few  years  to  Berkeley  where  he  practiced  suc- 
cessfully the  rest  of  his  life.  The  government  granted  him  a 
pension,  which  was,  however,  small  in  comparison  with  the 
enormous  benefits  to  mankind  which  his  idea  procured. 

"Cheltenham,  Gloucestershire,  November  10th,  1801  Sir:  I 
have  been  favored  with  your  letter  relative  to  Vaccine  Inoculation, 
and  feel  myself  happy  in  the  opportunity  of  sending  you  the  en- 
closed Virus,  which  I  hope  may  reach  you  possessed  of  its  full 
powers.  You  will  receive  two  parcels,  one  upon  Glass,  the  other 
upon  Thread.  When  you  use  the  former  let  the  point  of  a  lancet  be 
dipped  into  Water,  so  that  a  suJB&cient  quantity  be  taken  up  to 
moisten  it,  or  rather  to  reduce  it  to  a  fluid  state.  The  thread  may 
be  divided  into  a  great  number  of  portions,  and  each  may  be  lodged 
upon  a  sUght  scratch  made  upon  the  skin.  Either  is  sufficient  to 
inoculate  a  great  number  of  persons.  If  you  succeed  in  producing 
one  perfect  pustule  you  need  not  ever  be  at  a  loss  again  for  vaccine 
matter,  for  be  assured  it  does  not  show  the  least  tendency  to  de- 
generate on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  nor  will  it  on  your  side,  if  you 
attend  to  the  rules  laid  down  in  the  enclosed  paper.  That  marked 
thus*  is  of  great  importance. 

It  is  very  gratifying  to  me  to  observe  how  rapidly  the  Cow  Pox- 
inoculation  is  spreading  over  the  world.  From  its  ready  adoption 
it  must  necessarily  soon  check  the  ravages  of  the  Small  Pox,  and 
finally  extinguish  totally  that  horrid  disease. 

The  little  PAPER  I  enclose  ^  will  perhaps  furnish  you  with  valu- 

^  "The  enclosed  paper,"  now  in  my  possession,  is  a  statement  on  a 
single  folio  sheet  regarding  the  art  of  vaccination.  The  section  marked 
(*)  says  that  "Arm  to  arm  matter  should  always  be  taken  between  the 
6th  and  9th  day." 


PUBLIC  TESTS  OF  VACCINATION  95 

able  intelligence.  Tho'  it  does  not  come  from  me,  it  had  my  sanc- 
tion, with  a  few  trifling  exceptions.  A  publication  is  about  to  come 
forth  which  will  convey,  I  am  told,  an  immense  Mass  of  Information 
on  the  subject,  and  which  I  hope  will  be  largely  imported  into 
America.  It  comes  from  the  pen  of  a  Mr.  Ring,i  a  Surgeon  of 
eminence  in  London. 

Accept  my  thanks  for  your  very  ingenious  Chemical  Work,  and 
permit  me  to  request  that  you  will  favor  me  with  the  result  of  your 
practice  with  the  Virus  you  will  now  receive. 

Wishing  you  every  success,  I  remain.  Your  Very  Faithful  Humble 
Serv't,  Edward  Jenner." 

What  gratification  this  letter  must  have  given  to  the 
young  Physician  in  Portsmouth,  and  how  proudly  we  can 
imagine  its  being  handed  about  as:  "A  letter  from  Dr. 
Jenner  himself,  about  vaccination,  and  some  genuine  virus 
too." 

In  spite  of  the  rumor  that  Dr.  Hedge  was  dead,  the  letter 
next  arriving  after  that  from  Dr.  Jenner  brings  news  from 
him.  What  a  picture  of  the  times :  an  impecunious  physician 
working  on  the  roads;  yet  it  did  him  good,  prolonging  his 
life  until  1808. 

"Chester,  Vermont,  November  11,  1801.  My  good  old  AUie.  I 
will  appear  to  you  once  more,  not  as  one  from  the  grave  as  it  seems 
you  had  placed  me,  but  as  large  as  life  with  some  vigour,  and  will  tell 
you  some  of  the  things  of  this  life  as  practiced  by  me  since  I  wrote 
you.  Know  then  that  for  hire  I  undertook  labour  which  brought  on 
me  a  tedious  cough  and  an  expectoration  of  blood  from  my  lungs 
which  continued  to  an  alarming  degree,  but  by  fervent  prayer  and 
profound  medical  skill.  Mors  was  kept  at  a  distance  and  I  am  now  ia 
my  usual  health  and  spirits,  except  somewhat  worn  down  in  accom- 
plishing a  job  of  work  on  the  Turnpike,  which  runs  through  this 
town  that  I  had  taken,  and  which  I  beheve,  when  completed  will 
enable  me  to  leave  this  place  with  some  stuff  in  my  trousers.  For 
one  that  has  already  gone  through  with  the  rough  work,  and  is 
ready  to  encourage  the  more  poUshed  workman,  my  constitution 
will  not  allow  me  to  serve  a  long  apprenticeship  in  this  place,  for  I 

1  "Honest  John"  Ring  (1752-1821),  at  the  time  of  Jenner's  Dis- 
covery a  noted  surgeon  in  London,  came  forward  as  his  ardent  cham- 
pion and  travelled  all  over  Great  Britain  to  investigate  every  case  in 
which  vaccination  had  been  reported  as  injuring  the  person  vaccinated. 
Feeling  rose  so  high  at  that  time,  that  Ring  always  went  heavily  armed 
for  fear  of  assault.  He  also  wrote  widely  on  medical  topics,  composed 
poetry  of  no  mean  value,  and  as  a  surgeon  was  second  to  none  of  that 
era  in  London. 


96  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

prefer  digging  to  begging  and  one  of  them  must  give  me  a  sub- 
sistence, if  I  tarry  here,  for  professional  business.  There  is  no 
money  nor  inchnation  in  the  people  of  this  place  to  satisfy  a  Physi- 
cian for  his  services,  and  as  old  gospel  times  are  now  out  of  fashion, 
and  physicians  and  priests  expect  a  Uttle  "rino"^  to  help  on  the 
glorious  work,  I  wish  never  to  Uve  in  a  country  where  this  expecta- 
tion cannot  be  gratified.  Tell  me  how  it  is  in  your  country  and 
whether  you  know  of  any  vacancies,  for  I  am  determined  to  leave 
this  place  so  soon  as  I  shall  have  accmnulated  property  sufficient  to 
support  me  a  year  or  two  in  a  place  more  to  my  liking. 

You  will  accuse  me  of  being  fickle  and  imsteady,  but  this  accusa- 
tion will  not  justly  apply  to  me.  FOR,  who  would  live  in  a  place 
where  they  were  obUged  to  labour  for  their  daily  bread !  Not  I  nor 
you,  unless  you  like  work  better  than  I  do,  which  I  know  is  not  the 
case.  My  business  is  barely  sufficient  to  support  me,  if  I  could  get 
my  pay,  but  as  I  cannot,  it  is  really  worse  than  none,  and  as  to 
pleasure  that  is  None.  ...  In  my  practice  such  as  it  is,  I  cure  all 
disorders  with  mercury  and  opium,  but  I  have  not  time  to  mention 
particulars.  .  and  Am  with  esteem,  your  sincere  friend,  Abrm. 
Hedge." 

Soon  after  this  note  from  Dr.  Hedge  came  one  from  Cap- 
tain Dunham,  now  on  recruiting  service  at  Windsor.  It 
suggests  that  there  may  have  been  a  duel  in  the  Fort  where 
Dr.  Spalding  was  Contract  surgeon. 

"Windsor,  Nov.  12,  1801.  Sir:  Your  very  poUte  and  obhging 
letter  of  the  3d  inst.  I  have  received.  I  feel  highly  gratified  by  your 
accurate  detail  of  the  Portsmouth  campaign  of  1801.  From  your 
own,  which  corresponds  with  other  statements,  I  have  received,  I 
believe  I  have  a  pretty  just  idea  of  the  whole  business.  I  hope  it 
may  finally  terminate  without  loss  of  reputation  on  either  side  —  if 
not  without  loss  of  life.  Military  gentlemen  you  know.  Sir,  ought 
to  hold  life  in  contempt  when  brought  in  competition  with  honor. 
This  principle  we  are  very  fond  of  seeing  brought  frequently  into 
operation  in  our  own  corps,  especially  by  those  whose  commissions 
outrank  our  own.  Besides  setting  a  good  example  to  subordinate 
officers,  it  also  sometimes  makes  ROOM  FOR  PROMOTION.  As 
to  passing  the  winter  in  this  part  of  the  country,  it  is  my  present 
expectation.  I  am  indeed  in  rather  an  unpromising  state  of  health. 
I  have  been  troubled  with  spasmodic  affections,  and  an  unpleasant 
dizziness  in  my  head.  I  have  been  considerable  time  under  the  care 
of  Dr.  Smith,  who  has  been  bleeding,  and  catharticating  me,  till  I 

1  "Rino"  which  should  be  spelled  "Rhino"  means  cash  down,  and 
probably  originated  from  the  Phrase  "Paying  through  the  Nose" 
(Rhinos). 


PUBLIC  TESTS  OF  VACCINATION  97 

am  almost  dead.  Calomel  and  Cortex  (bark)  have  constituted  for 
some  days,  half  of  my  rations;  and  water-gruel  with  an  entire 
abstinence  from  every  kind  of  ardent  spirits  has  made  up  the 
complement. 

1  am  now  trying  to  enure  myself  to  the  exercise  of  GUNNING 
upon  a  moderate  scale,  when  the  weather  is  pleasant.  I  find  benefit 
from  it  whilst  Dr.  "Bram"^  is  curing  himself  of  BLEEDING,  by 
hard  knocks  on  the  turnpike.  He  is  now  hearty.  Mr.  Adams  ^  was 
so  good  as  to  call  here  on  his  way  to  Haverhill,  and  take  a  dinner  and 
a  little  wine  with  me.  Mrs.  Dunham  joins  me  in  comphments  to 
Mrs.  Adams  and  Mrs.  Sparhawk,  with  the  Charming  Eliza ^  and  the 
rest.    Your  Friend  and  OB'D'T  Servt.  J.  Dunham,  Capt.  2d  Regt. 

Post  Script.  I  have  no  doubt  you  will  take  good  care  of  the  Gar- 
rison and  see  to  their  health  and  comfort.  I  hope  you  will  be  honor- 
ably paid.'*  I  am  concerned  for  the  Charming  Mrs.  Walsh.*  Pray 
do  not  permit  her  to  die  till  I  come. 

P.  S.  I  will  thank  you  to  inquire  at  the  Stage  Tavern  where  we 
lodged  the  night  before  we  left  Portsmouth  (not  far  from  your 
lodgings)  for  a  gi'eat  coat  and  pair  of  socks  of  Mrs.  Dunham's. 
They  were  lambskin  originally.     J.  D." 

Mr.  Richard  Evans  of  Portsmouth,  brother  of  Captain 
Estwick  Evans,  the  writer  of  a  former  letter,  had  removed  to 
Philadelphia,  and  about  this  time  Dr.  Spalding  must  have 
asked  him  for  books  as  is  suggested  by  the  reply: 

"Philadelphia,  Nov.  8,  1801.  Dear  Doctor:  I  shall  forward  by 
Captain  Rugg,^  who  sails  on  Wednesday  the  books  you  wish  for, 

^  "Dr.  Bram"  was  a  nickname  for  Dr.  Abraham  Hedge. 

2  "Mr.  Adams"  was  Nathaniel  Adams  (1756-1829),  author  of  the 
priceless  "Animals  of  Portsmouth,"  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth,  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society  and  for  many 
years  Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  Hampshire,  the  duties  of 
which  office  carried  him  throughout  the  entire  state  and  obtained  for 
him  a  wide  acquaintance.     Everybody  knew  "Nat"  Adams. 

^  "The  Charming  Eliza"  was  Miss  Coues. 

*  "Honorably  paid"  refers  to  Dr.  Spalding's  claim  against  the 
government  for  professional  services.  The  Fort-Contractors  referred 
the  payment  to  the  government,  and  the  government  referred  the  pay- 
ment to  the  contractors;  and  the  bill  remains  unpaid  to  this  date. 

'  "Mrs.  Walsh"  was  the  wife  of  an  officer  and  a  Belle  of  the  Fort 
and  of  the  town,  as  was  also  "  Mrs.  Sparhawk  "  her  name  then  being 
pronounced  "  Sparrock."  This  name  is  now  refined  in  Boston,  into 
Spar-Hawk,  so  that  Portsmouth  people  open  their  ears,  when  they 
hear  that  hyphenated  word,  and  wonder  what  family  people  are  talking 
about. 

®  Captain  Rugg  who  brought  the  parcel  to  Portsmouth  was  a  Sea 
Captain  from  New  Castle,  New  Hampshire. 


98  DR   LYMAN  SPALDING 

and  which  Mr.  Woodward  the  bookseller  will  cheerfully  supply.  I 
enclose  Mr.  Dennie's  receipt  for  "The  Port-Folio"  for  $4  for  a  year. 
I  consider  Mr.  Dcnnie^  a  very  polite  man,  and  one  who  is  attentive 
to  the  etiquette  of  fashionable  manners.  I  have  called  on  him 
several  tunes  without  ceremony. 

Your  former  letter  was  wanting  in  everything:  contained  things 
I  could  not  read,  yet  more  than  I  could  understand.  In  the  last 
letter  you  have  not  explained  the  obscure  passages,  agreeably  to  my 
request.  You  "walked  with  the  charming  "E."  She  burnt  her 
finger  with  hot  candy  and  you  kissed  it."  Too  Sweet!  Too  Sweet! 
Oh,  Doctor,  when  shall  I  participate  in  your  joys  and  tryals? 

I  am  happy  that  Mr.  Alden's  merit  is  justly  appreciated,  but  I 
should  regret  the  necessity  which  might  occasion  his  removal  from 
Portsmouth.  Mr.  Sewall's  POEMS'-  are  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
Publishers,  and  so  soon  as  they  shall  determine  the  value,  I  will  give 
j'^ou  immediate  advice.  He  and  his  family  may  depend  on  my  best 
services.  I  am  sorry  that  I  could  not  complete  3^our  order  for  all 
of  your  medical  books,  though  trying  every  book  store  in  this  city. 
You  can  pay  my  brother  the  sum  due  for  the  books  whenever  con- 
venient to  you. 

With  kind  regards,  your  OB'D'T  Servant,  Richard  Evans." 

The  end  of  the  year  brought  a  letter  from  Dr.  Waterhouse, 
concerning  Vaccination : 

"  Cambridge,  December  7,  1801.  Dear  Sir:  As  I  expect  shortly  to 
publish  a  report  on  the  progress  of  the  vaccine  inoculation  during 
1801, 1  could  wish  to  have  a  more  particular  account  of  the  persons 

1  Joseph  Dennie  (1768-1812)  was  a  friend  of  Dr.  Spalding,  at  Wal- 
pole,  where  he  had  edited  a  newspaper,  "The  Farmer's  Weekly  Mu- 
seum" which  had  large  circulation.  Dennie  was  a  Harvard  graduate, 
was  very  neat  and  nice  as  a  man,  dressed  very  elegantly  in  a  pea  green 
coat,  small  clothes  with  silver  buckles  and  was  suave,  courteous  and 
very  polite.  He  was  now  editing  "The  Port-Folio"  which  was  as  suc- 
cessful as  "The  Museum"  and  out  of  old  friendship  Dr.  Spalding  sub- 
scribed for  the  magazine.  When  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Spalding  visited  Phil- 
adelphia, in  1809,  Mr.  Dennie  introduced  them  to  the  first  people  of 
the  city. 

2  Jonathan  Mitchell  Sewall  (1748-1808),  whose  poems  are  here 
mentioned,  was  Register  of  Probate  for  Grafton  County,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  then  Clerk  of  Courts  at  Portsmouth.  He  was  also  famous  as 
a  poet,  though  some  of  the  titles  of  his  verses  are  curious.  What  can  we 
think  of  "An  Eulogy  on  Two  Female  Steeds"  or  "To  the  Twin  Sisters 
who  died  at  Exeter?"  Mr.  Sewall  was  also  a  Dramatist;  his  "No 
Pent  up  Utica  Contracts  our  Powers,  For  the  Whole  Boundless  Con- 
tinent is  Ours"  remains  memorable  to  this  day.  He  converted  Wash- 
ington's "Farewell  Address"  into  a  poem,  whilst  his  "War  and  Wash- 
ington" was  a  "John  Brown's  Body"  army  song  of  the  Revolution. 


PUBLIC  TESTS  OF  VACCINATION  99 

you  have  TESTED  WITH  THE  S-POX,  than  has  yet  appeared. 
I  wish  to  know  not  only  the  numbers,  but  if  you  have  no  objections 
the  names  and  the  circumstances  of  their  trial  of  the  S-Pox,  how 
long  they  remained  with  the  infected  patient,  the  appearance  of  the 
inoculated  part,  etc.,  etc.  I  have  a  number  of  other  cases  to  bring 
forward  with  it,  and  wish  to  have  every  fact  clearly  stated  as  may  be. 
I  have  not  had  six  spurious  cases  the  whole  season,  and  my  cases  are 
at  this  moment  as  perfect  as  those  I  first  commenced  with.  Did  you 
see  the  case  of  Dr.  Fay^  in  the  "Ind't  Chronicle"  of  about  a  fort- 
night past? 
Yours  with  Esteem,  Benjamin  Waterhouse." 

^  The  case  of  Dr.  Fay  was  the  vaccination  of  Dr.  Cyrus  Fay  by  Dr. 
Babbitt  of  Stourbridge,  Massachusetts,  who  utilized  for  that  purpose 
the  liquid  obtained  by  washing  a  piece  of  the  shirt  sleeve  worn  during 
the  stage  of  discharge  from  the  pustule  by  a  patient  who  had  been 
vaccinated  by  Dr.  Waterhouse.  Both  physicians  being  doubtful  of 
the  result,  consulted  Dr.  Waterhouse  who  vaccinated  Dr.  Fay  in  the 
proper  fashion,  and  was  rewarded  with  a  perfect  result. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Fever  Epidemic.    Vaccination  Experiments  in  1802. 

Old  fashioned  "consumption"  was  at  that  time  causing  a 
large  percentage  of  deaths,  and  beheving  that  it  might  be 
prevented  or  at  least  that  its  frequency  should  be  properly 
studied,  and  having  also  in  mind  an  investigation  of  Lon- 
gevity with  a  view  to  Insurance  and  Annuities,  Dr.  Spalding 
began  in  1800  to  collect  and  tabulate  all  deaths  occurring  in 
Portsmouth.  His  jfirst  Bill  of  Mortahty,  a  large  Broadside 
showing  in  bold  figures  the  number  of  inhabitants,  deaths, 
age,  disease,  and  causes  of  death,  was  printed  in  1801,  and 
continued  for  eleven  years  during  which  period  they  were 
sent  to  prominent  personages  in  the  United  States  and  in 
Europe,  so  that  Dr.  Spalding  became  widely  known.  I  find, 
for  instance,  that  on  Washington's  Birthday,  in  1801,  and  in 
1802  he  sent  a  Bill  of  Mortality  to  Thomas  Jefferson  and  to 
John  Adams  with  a  note  to  this  effect : 

"Sir:  Will  you  please  accept  the  humble  offering  of  a  Faithful 
Citizen  of  the  RepubUc  of  Science?  If  you  deem  it  worthy  of  the 
attention  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  I  should  feel  my 
self  honored  by  their  acceptance  of  a  copy.  I  am  Sir,  your  Ob'd't 
Servt.  L.  Spalding." 

Mr.  Jefferson's  answer  is  missing,  but  from  The  Sage  of 
Quincy  came  this  note.  .  .  . 

"Quincy,  February  28,  1803.  Sir:  I  have  received  the  favor  of 
your  paper  (on  Meteors)  and  have  sent  it,  together  with  your  Bills 
of  Mortality  of  Portsmouth  for  1801  and  2  to  the  Recording  Secre- 
tary of  the  Accademy  to  be  communicated  to  them  at  their  annual 
meeting.     I  am,  Sir,  Your  Humble  Servt.  John  Adams." 

Another  valuable  letter  due  to  sending  a  Bill  of  Mortality 
to  a  famous  physician  may  here  find  a  place.  Dr.  Benjamin 
Rusfii  the  writer  (1746-1813),  was  a  personal  friend  of  my 
grandfather  from  1809  until  his  death. 

*  Of  this  great  man  this  brief  record  may  say  that  he  descended 
from  a  Captain  in  CromweU's  army,  was  graduated  at  Princeton, 
studied  medicine  at  home  and  obtained  his  degree  at  Edinburgh.    He 

100 


cj^tm-ccf     tJ^t4.'LT.   f^aS 


'uT 


n^eu^   Je^^     t/    -nuM     y,(H^t^    (^*^  ff/  tyi^On^S;^^ ^^^.^ 


102  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Washington  Citj^  February  25,  1802.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  your  two  late  favors.  The 
Bill  of  Mortality  for  Portsmouth  is  an  instructive  Record.  That 
one-fifth  of  the  inhabitants  should  die  of  the  Pulmonary  Consump- 
tion is  a  remarkable  and  unexpected  fact.  I  wish  we  had  other 
Registers  of  Deaths  kept  with  equal  correctness.  Something  of  the 
same  kind  has  been  undertaken  in  the  City  of  New  York  by  order 
of  the  Common  Council.  I  have  forwarded  the  Bill  to  Dr.  Miller. 
I  have  cheerfully  complied  with  your  request  in  respect  to  your 
application  at  the  War  Office,  and  have  signified  to  the  Secretary  my 
opinion  of  your  professional  worth,  and  desserts.  I  hope  it  may  be 
ser^dceable,  tho'  I  dare  not  flatter  myself  of  having  any  influence  in 
these  matters. 

I  remain  with  much  sensibiUty  and  esteem.  Yours  Cordially, 
Samuel  L.  Mitchill." 

Dr.  Waterhouse  having  been  similarly  favored  sent  a  very 
characteristic  criticism  of  the  Bill  of  Mortality. 

"  Cambridge,  March  18, 1802.  Dear  Sir :  Your  letter  of  the  1 1th 
Inst,  came  duly  to  hand  and  I  have  endeavored  to  comply  with  your 
request,  so  far  as  to  send  j^ou  some  matter  on  the  point  of  a  quill. 
As  to  the  thread,  it  is  full  a  month  old,  but  was  from  a  very  perfect 
case  and  has  been  kept  in  a  proper  degree  of  temperature  ever  since. 
I  am  now  so  in  the  habit  of  taking  the  vaccine  fluid  from  arm  to  arm, 
that  I  am  not  so  constant  in  preserving  it  on  the  thread  or  otherwise. 
Considerable  attention  and  patience  are  required  in  the  first  use  of 
an  old  thread.  It  ought  always  to  be  moistened  with  the  vapor  of 
hot  water. 

You  mention  my  not  having  answered  your  last  letter.  I  have 
received  no  letter  from  you  since  j'^ou  wrote  to  me  in  answer  to  one 
of  mine.  I  received  a  printed  bill  of  mortality,  5  or  6  weeks  ago, 
but  no  written  line  whatever  with  it  and  I  have  had  no  letter  from 
you  for  4,  5  or  perhaps  6  months  past. 

I  have  just  received  "Observations  on  the  Cow  Pox"  from 
Dr.  Lettsom.^    I  shall  probably  pubhsh  a  second  pamphlet  in  a 

1  John  Coakley  Lettersom  (1754-1815)  was  born  in  the  West  Indies, 
hut  educated  in  England.  He  practiced  first  in  the  Colonies,  made  a 
fortune  by  speculations  in  sugar,  and  then  settled  in  London  where  he 
ol)tained  most  of  the  clientage  of  the  late  Dr.  Fothergill.  His  genial 
waj's  and  perseverance  soon  won  for  h  ra  a  very  large  practice.  He 
was  however  always  financially  embarrassed.  He  married  a  fortune, 
and  lost  it,  made  another  and  dissipated  it,  and  in  his  old  age  inherited 
still  another  which  he  was  unable  to  squander  before  he  died.  He 
founded  the  London  Medical  Society,  left  money  for  the  Fothergill 
Gold  Medal,  and  the  Lettsomian  Lectures,  wrote  a  great  many  medical 
works,  and  carried  on  an  extensive  correspondence  writing  many  of  his 


FEVER  EPIDEMIC  103 

month  or  so,  being  practical  observations,  etc.  In  the  mean- 
time I  sent  a  few,  to  the  Medical  "Repository"  for  their  next 
number. 

I  am  glad  to  find  that  you  attend  to  the  occurrences  of  Mortality. 
Excuse  me  for  making  a  few  remarks  on  the  one  you  were  so  obliging 
to  send  to  me.  1.  Did  Aphthae  kill  the  infant,  or  was  it  a  symp- 
tom of  another  disorder,  or  in  other  words:  was  it  sympathetic  or 
Idiopathic? 

2dly.  We  very  rarely  see  consumption  in  patients  above  50 
years  of  age,  more  rarely  above  60  and  very  rare  indeed  at  70. 
There  is  a  chronic  cough  and  emaciation,  and  great  expectoration 
in  old  people,  but  it  is  not  the  true  Phthisis  Pulmonahs. 

3dly.  Is  not  Debauchery  rather  a  VAGUE  term  for  a  general 
Head?    Does  it  mean  Drunkeness  exclusively? 

4thly.  I  never  yet  saw  a  very  young  child  with  Epilepsy.  There 
is  a  wide  space  indeed,  between  the  convulsions  of  infants,  and  that 
truly  wonderful  disease.  Epilepsy. 

5thly.  Mortification:  Was  it  in  the  bowels  or  the  feet?  As  they 
are  widely  different  in  their  cause.    See  Pott  on  the  Latter.^ 

6thly.  Death  from  Scrofula  is  very  uncommon.  It  predisposes 
to  fatal  diseases. 

7thly.  Paregoric  :  Does  that  mean  that  the  Child  was  poisoned 
by  that  composition?  If  so,  had  it  not  better  been  by  Opium  as 
Paregoric  means  a  Mitigator. 

You  will  excuse  these  hasty  observations  that  occurred  on  the 
perusal.  They  have  not  originated  from  a  disposition  to  criticise 
but  from  a  desire  to  have  them  free  from  every  exception.  Yours 
Steadily,  B.  Waterhouse." 

Dr.  Waterhouse  was  immediately  thanked  for  his  frank 
criticism  and  presented  with  some  Salt  Fish  for  which 
Portsmouth  was  famous.  Some  time  later  a  reply  to  this 
effect  followed. 

letters  in  his  carriage  en  route  to  patients.    He  is  said  to  have  com- 
posed this  distich  which  may  be  passed  along  for  another  generation: 
"When  people's  ill,  they  comes  to  I, 

I  physics,  bleeds  and  sweats  em; 

Sometimes  they  live,  sometimes  they  die; 

What's  that  to  I?  I  let's  em." 
1  "Pott  on  the  latter"  was  Percival  Pott  (1714-1786)  whom  we  re- 
call on  account  of  his  own  accident,  for  which,  when  amputation  of  his 
foot  was  proposed  for  a  fracture  at  the  ankle,  he  invented  a  splint  and 
saved  the  foot.  He  was  Surgeon  for  years  at  St.  Bartholomew's,  and 
did  great  service  in  ridding  that  Hospital  of  the  barbarities  of  the 
nurses  towards  the  patients.  His  treatise  "On  Diseases  of  the  Spine" 
("Pott's  Disease")  remains  a  monument  to  his  fame. 


104  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Cambridge,  June  8,  1802.  Dear  Sir:  Some  time  ago  I  received 
a  box  containing  some  good  salt  fish,  but  having  no  line  nor  any 
direction  whatsoever  with  it,  I  was  at  loss  to  know  whence,  or  from 
whom  it  came,  until  Mr.  Bartlett  iaformed  me  not  long  since,  that 
it  was  sent  to  his  care  from  you.  I  am  disposed  "to  return  thanks 
and  ask  a  continuance  of  like  mercies  "  when  I  know  to  whom  I  must 
address  them.  I  suspect  some  letter  was  sent  by  a  private  hand, 
which  never  reached  me. 

Two  years  ago  I  inoculated  Mrs.  Smith,  originally  of  Portsmouth, 
who  lately  removed  from  Boston  to  your  town  again,  but  her  case 
was  spurious.  I  called  to  re-inoculate  her  the  very  day  after  she 
left  Boston.  I  write  this  therefore,  to  ask  you  to  call  upon  her,  and 
to  ask  her  if  she  is  willing  that  you  should  inoculate  her,  and  if  she 
prefers  it,  I  wUl  send  her  some  matter  for  that  purpose.  Although 
her  sjonptoms  were  very  ^dolent  and  her  arm  very  sore,  her  disorder 
was  of  the  spurious  kind.  If  she  therefore,  wishes  it,  I  would  thank 
3''0u  to  inoculate  her  for  me. 

The  credit  of  the  vaccine  inoculation  is  advancing  and  maintain- 
ing its  credit  among  us,  in  spite  of  vile  tricks  to  impede  it. 

I  am  with  Esteem,  yours,  etc.,  Benjamin  Watekhouse." 

The  people  of  Portsmouth  were  terrified  at  this  time  by 
an  epidemic  of  malignant  fever  simulating  Yellow  Fever. 
Patients  died  in  a  day  and  a  panic  seemed  imminent. 

At  this  juncture  Dr.  Spalding  printed  "An  Appeal  to  the 
Board  of  Health"  asserting  that  they  were  neglecting  their 
duty  in  not  enforcing  household  sanitation.  The  Selectmen 
called  a  Town  Meeting;  Dr.  Spalding  was  put  on  the  Board, 
vigorous  sanitation  followed,  daily  bulletins  stating  number 
of  deaths  and  numbers  affected  were  issued  by  him,  and  in 
the  course  of  two  months  the  worst  was  over  and  healthy 
conditions  prevailed. 

In  spite  of  much  time  given  to  this  epidemic.  Dr.  Spalding 
completed  a  second  public  proof  of  vaccination  as  a  pre- 
ventive against  Small  Pox,  for  on  the  22d  of  July  he  issued 
a  Bulletin  stating  that  three  weeks  before,  his  Class  of  five 
vaccinated  persons  had  boarded  in  the  Small  Pox  Hospital 
with  two  patients  afflicted  with  that  disease,  were  all  in- 
oculated with  the  small  pox  virus,  and  after  remaining  ten 
days  in  contact  with  the  patients  came  off  safely  and  had  up 
to  that  date  showed  no  signs  of  contagion.  "This  second 
public  experiment,"  he  says,  "gives  public  proof  and  sufficient 
testimony  within  our  own  borders,  that  the  Kine  Pox  is  a 
sure  and  efficient  preventive  of  Small  Pox." 


FEVER  EPIDEMIC  105 

A  copy  of  this  Bulletin  was  sent  to  Dr.  Waterhouse,  who 
in  "The  Palladium"  of  May  31,  1802,  had  complained  that 
no  pubUc  tests  of  the  efficacy  of  vaccination  had  yet  been 
made  in  America,  forgetting  the  tests  communicated  to  him 
the  year  before  by  Dr.  Spalding.  Acknowledging  the  com- 
munication. Dr.  Waterhouse  wrote  to  this  effect,  utihzing 
for  this  letter  the  reverse  of  a  Broadside  from  Dr.  Jenner 
with  full  directions  for  Vaccine  Inoculation. 

"Cambridge,  July,  1802.  Dear  Sir:  Accept  my  thanks  for  the 
printed  account  of  your  second  experiment  respecting  the  prophy- 
lactic power  of  the  Kine  Pock.^ 

I  thought  it  would  conduce  to  good,  to  give  it  to  the  public 
through  "The  Centinel."  I  wrote  a  few  Hues  on  the  same  paper, 
to  the  printer,  personally,  which  he  also  printed. 

I  mean  to  pubhsh  in  "The  Centinel"  this  week  a  piece  on  the 
absurd  notion,  now  industriously  disseminated,  that  the  Kine  Pock 
will  only  secure  a  person  for  a  short  time. 

Perhaps  it  would  answer  a  good  purpose  amongst  you,  to  have  it 
copied  into  one  of  your  Portsmouth  papers,  for,  this  doctrine  Ls 
spread  far  and  wide,  and  discourages  inoculation. 

The  Mrs.  Smith  I  wrote  to  you  about  inoculating  is  the  mother  of 
WiUiam  P.  Smith,  and  as  he  has  lately  been  unfortunate,  I  could 
wish  not  to  be  lacking  in  attention  to  her,  or  him,  who  employed  me. 
Will  you  please  to  tell  her  that  I  called  at  her  house  the  day  after 
she  left  Boston,  and  finding  she  was  gone  had  desired  you  to  call  on 
her  in  my  behalf.  If  I  can  reciprocate  this  service,  please  to  com- 
mand, Your  Humble  Servant,  Benjamin  Waterhouse." 

One  of  the  famous  men  of  that  era  to  whom  the  vaccina- 
tion tests  were  sent  was  Charles  Caldwell  (1772-1853),  who 
obtained  his  degree  of  medicine  in  Philadelphia,  in  1785,  and 
acted  as  Surgeon  in  "The  Whiskey  RebeUion,"  a  riotous 
popular  protest  in  Western  Peimsylvania  against  taxation 
of  domestic  spirits.  Caldwell  was  Professor  of  Natural 
History  in  Philadelphia,  but  quarrelled  with  his  colleagues, 
and  became  a  Professor  in  Transylvania  University  in  Ken- 
tucky. He  next  founded  the  Louisville  Medical  School, 
quarrelled  again,  with  his  colleagues,  and  in  his  old  age  had 
the  Chair  of  Theory  and  Practice  pulled  out  from  under 
him  when  he  refused  to  resign.  He  wrote  hundreds  of 
medical  works  in  a  flowery  style  and  an  "Autobiography" 
which  would  be  worth  a  good  deal  more  than  it  is  if  it  had 

^  In  the  Singular,  because  it  has  but  one  pock;  the  X  being  plxu-al. 


106  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

only  been  indexed.  His  chief  works  were  "A  Treatise  of 
Practice"  and  a  "Life  of  General  Greene,"  Insufferably 
egotistical,  he  said  that  he  had  never  entered  for  a  hterary 
prize  without  winning  it.  He  detested  Dr.  Rush,  and  ac- 
cused him  of  plagiarism,  yet  dedicated  to  him  a  Translation 
of  Sanac^OnFever." 

Personally,  Dr.  Caldwell  was  a  man  to  turn  around  to 
look  at.  Tall  and  commanding  in  figure,  dignified  in  counte- 
nance and  with  a  flowing  beard  he  recalled  the  patriarchs 
of  old.  Fearless  and  outspoken  he  remained,  to  the  last,  an 
example  of  mental  activity  in  prolonging  life.  Venomous  of 
tongue,  when  once  interrupted  by  shouting  students,  he 
shrieked  at  the  top  of  his  voice:  "Three  VERMIN,  only, 
HISS!  Enraged  Cats,  Vipers,  Geese!  Which  of  these  three 
are  YE!!" 

Soon  after  receiving  the  news  from  Portsmouth,  Dr. 
CaldweU  sent  the  following  reply,  in  his  usual  style,  behttling 
others,  and  lauding  himself. 

"Philadelphia,  July  22,  1802.  Dear  Sir:  Accept  under  the  same 
cover  an  acknowledgement  of  your  favor  of  the  16th  inclosing  an 
account  of  your  experiments  on  the  efficacy  of  the  vaccine  disease 
in  preventing  Small  Pox,  and  also  of  that  received  some  months 
ago,  covering  a  Bill  of  MortaUty  for  the  Town  of  Portsmouth. 
Such  communications  will  always  experience  from  me  a  welcome 
reception,  as,  besides  the  information  contained  in  them,  they  be- 
speak a  remembrance  and  attention  which  must  always  be  pleasing. 
Independently  of  the  evidence  received  both  from  Europe  and 
different  parts  of  the  United  States,  in  favour  of  Kine  Pox,  the 
Personal  experience  of  many  of  the  physicians  of  Philadelphia  is 
sufficient  to  convince  them  of  the  power  of  this  disease  (if  it  deserve 
so  harsh  a  name)  to  eradicate  from  the  System  a  Susceptibility  of 
Small  Pox.  The  experiments  made  on  this  subject  by  five  or  six  of 
the  younger  practitioners  of  this  place  (myself  among  the  number) 
amount  to,  at  least,  one  hundred;  in  each  of  which  the  result  has 
been  perfectly  favorable  to  the  Jennerian  discovery.  Our  only 
reason  for  not  giving  them  to  the  pubhc,  has  been  (I  speak  with 
confidence  relative  to  my  own  motives)  their  similarity  to  experi- 
ments previously  made  and  published  elsewhere.  Having  nothing  . 
new  in  them,  and  the  point  to  which  they  related  being  in  mind 
established  beyond  question,  they  did  not  appear  to  me  worthy  of 
being  conducted  through  the  press. 

One  case  occurred  here  in  the  course  of  last  Spring,  of  death,  by 
casual  Small  Pox  after  vaccination,  which  for  a  time  affected  the 
pubhc  mind  with  uneasiness  and  distrust.    But,  these  sensations 


FEVER  EPIDEMICS  107 

were  readily  removed,  as  it  appeared  on  examination,  that  the  acci- 
dent had  happened  in  the  hands  of  an  unskilful  practitioner,  and 
that  the  vaccine  affection  had  been  evidently  spurious. 

I  presume  that  before  this  time  you  have  been  reached  by  the  note 
of  alarm  produced  by  our  intermeddling  newsmongers,  annovmcing 
the  re-invasion  of  our  City  by  pestilence.  Never  have  I  known  an 
effect  so  enormously  disproportioned  to  its  cause  as  in  the  present 
instance.  Our  Citizens  have  been  driven  to  secure  for  themselves 
retreats  in  the  Country,  on  the  most  exorbitant  terms  (for  with  our 
Benevolent  Neighbors,  pestilence  is  an  object  of  profitable  specula- 
tion) country  merchants  will  be  prevented  from  resorting  to  our 
City  for  their  autumnal  supplies,  and  our  vessels,  being  denied  Bills 
of  Health,  will  be  subjected  to  quarantine  in  foreign  parts  —  For 
What?  For  a  mere  phantom!!;  the  very  coinage  of  the  fears  of 
timid  minds  or  the  self  conceit  of  others,  who  overrate  their  powers 
of  foretelling  the  future  from  present  appearances.  What  ever  may 
be  the  issue  of  things  in  the  approaching  Autumn,  we  have  as  yet, 
had  no  grounds  for  Serious  and  extensive  alarm. 

The  true  outline  of  the  Matter  is  as  follows:  On  the  4th  of  the 
present  month,  a  malignant  fever  made  its  appearance  in  a  remote 
comer  of  our  city,  or  rather  in  what  we  denominate  the  Northern 
Liberties,  being  without  the  hmits  to  which  the  pohce  of  our  cor- 
poration extends.  Since  that  period,  about  thirty-seven  persons 
have  been  attacked  by  the  disease,  of  whom  about  9  or  perhaps  10 
have  died.  The  others  are  well  or  on  the  recovery.  The  disease 
has  been  exclusively  confined  to  one  neighborhood,  no  instance  of 
contagion  or  even  of  the  suspicion  of  it,  with  medical  men  has 
occmTed,  nor  has  any  new  case  appeared  since  the  16th,  making  the 
space  of  a  week  aU  but  one  day.  Several  cases  of  this  fever  were 
marked  by  all  the  malignant  symptoms  of  our  epidemic  in  former 
years.  Notwithstanding  this,  from  a  combination  of  many  cir- 
cumstances, which  I  have  not  room  to  detail,  most  of  our  physicians 
who  paid  due  attention  to  the  subject  felt  a  conviction  that  it  would 
not  become  general  at  this  period  of  the  Season.  A  similar  con- 
viction they  endeavored  in  private  conversation  to  impress  on  the 
minds  of  their  fellow  citizens,  but  the  clamors  of  their  fears  were  too 
loud  to  suffer  them  to  hsten  to  the  voice  of  reason.  Accept  an 
assurance  of  my  respectful  consideration.    Ch.  Caldwell." 

Two  letters  from  Dr.  Waterhouse  bring  the  correspon- 
dence for  the  year  to  a  close  and  are  of  the  greatest  historical 
value. 

"Cambridge,  October  13,  1802,  Dear  Sir.  Will  you  as  speedily 
as  you  can  put  me  up  sealed  in  a  quill,  some  of  your  freshest  Small 
Pox  matter  and  transmit  it  in  a  letter  by  the  next  mail?  We  want 
it  to  test  the  Kine  Pox  Patients  who  were  inoculated  before  the 


108  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

board  of  health  (at  Noddle's  Island)  and  Dr.  Aspinwall  ^  has  not,  he 

says,  a  particle  in  his  hospital You  have  had,  I  hear,  a 

recent  case  at  Portsmouth.  Can  you  send  me  some  of  it?  Your 
attention  to  this  business  will  oblige,  Your  Friend  and  Humble 
Servant,  B.  Wateehouse." 

The  second  message  says: 

"Cambridge,  November  4,  1802.  Dear  Sir:  Agreeably  to  your 
request,  I  here  enclose  a  small  portion  of  vaccine  matter.  I  cannot 
send  more  at  this  tune,  having  just  sent  some  to  Philadelphia, 
where  it  is  extinct.  I  have  just  received  a  similar  request  from  New 
York  where  it  is  also  extinct!  And  I  have  reason  to  think  that  there 
is  none  in  Boston,  my  own  cases  excepted!!  Neither,  it  seems,  is 
there  any  in  Portsmouth.  .  .  .  How  can  practitioners  be  so  in- 
attentive? I  am  obliged  to  hire  children,  and  others,  to  be  inocu- 
lated in  Cambridge  in  order  to  keep  up  a  continuity  of  matter.  I 
have  just  received  some  quills  from  Mr.  Ring.  Dr.  Jenner  has  just 
sent  me  some  in  a  silver  box,  inlaid  with  gold  of  exquisite  work- 
mansliip,  with  a  complimentary  inscription  by  Mr.  Ring.^  You 
^dll  find  on  reading  Coxe,  that  he  has  pubhshed  in  haste.  He  sent 
me  the  work  in  sheets.  I  sent  him  the  colored  engravings  of  the 
pustule  in  all  its  stages,  contrasted  with  small  pox.  He  has,  you 
see,  copied  it,  but  it  falls  vastly  short  of  the  original.    Dr.  Coxe' 

1  William  Aspinwall  (1733-1823)  served  as  a  surgeon  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary army,  and  then  established  a  Small  Pox  Hospital  at  BrookUne. 
He  gained  great  reputation,  by  inoculating,  with  the  Small  Pox  virus, 
more  people  than  all  the  other  neighboring  physicians  combined. 
Perceiving,  however,  that  vaccination  would  prove  the  safer  and  surer 
preventive  he  vigorously  advocated  the  new  procedure.  In  his  old 
age,  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  much  to  his  personal  regret,  operated  unsuc- 
cessfully for  cataract  upon  Dr.  AspinwaU. 

2  The  silver  gilt  box  was  brought  from  Dr.  Jenner  by  Dr.  Matthias 
Spalding  (1769-1865)  -who  was  a  graduate  from  Harvard  and  after 
studying  in  Europe,  settled  in  Amherst,  New  Hampshire.  He  was  for 
many  years  President  of  the  State  Medical  Society.  Fertile  in  re- 
sources and  in  obstetrical  emergencies,  and  genial  as  a  man,  he  was  an 
vmusually  successful  practitioner. 

3  John  Redman  Coxe  (1773-1864)  studied  abroad  and  was  practis- 
ing in  Philadelphia  as  early  as  1795.  He  was  a  Surgeon  to  the  Penn- 
sylvania Hospital  and  occupied  the  Chairs  of  Chemistry  and  Materia 
Medica  in  the  Medical  School.  Discords  and  jealously  arose,  and  it 
became  a  burning  question:  Is  there  need  of  separate  Chairs  for  these 
two  topics,  and  is  Dr.  Coxe  capable  of  filling  either?  He  was  finally 
compelled  to  resign  from  both,  but  he  hved  long  enough  afterward  to 
prove  the  absurdity  of  the  charges  of  incapacity  brought  against  him. 
He  knew  enough,  but  was  too  pedantic  to  be  interesting.  His  "Phila- 
delphia Medical  Museum"  was  an  excellent  paper  of  its  kind,  and  he 
was  also  for  a  time  in  the  Surgical  Instrument  Business. 


FEVER  EPIDEMIC  109 

has  just  written  to  me  for  a  fresh  supply  of  matter.  Yours,  etc., 
B.  Waterhouse. 

P.  S.  If  you  could  procure  me  another  quintal  of  fish  such  as  you 
sent  me  last  autunm,  you  and  I  will  settle  the  amount  of  it  when  we 
next  meet,  or  before,  by  sending  the  Bill  of  it.  We  can  get  the 
ordinary  fish  in  Boston,  but  the  best  kind  of  large  fish  is  not  easy  to 
be  found. 

Our  experiment  stagnates  for  want  of  pox  matter." 

These  two  notes  illustrate  the  Noddle's  Island  test  of 
vaccination  as  a  preventive  of  Small  Pox,  which  was  begun 
in  August,  1802,  by  vaccinating  several  persons,  with  the 
idea  of  inoculating  them  when  occasion  served,  with  Small 
Pox  virus.  When,  therefore,  Dr.  Waterhouse  asks  for  Small 
Pox  virus,  and  says,  "Our  experiment  Stagnates,"  he  means 
that  the  Noddle's  Island  test  had  lasted  since  August,  and 
was  not  then  completed. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Medical  Life  at  Poetsmouth,  1803-1806. 

In  order  to  throw  light  on  Dr.  Spalding's  career  at  this 
time  I  must  rely  mostly  on  scrap  books  and  newspapers, 
which  show  that  he  was  making  flying  visits  to  Boston,  and 
obtaining  a  fair  practice.  I  find  on  a  bit  of  paper,  and 
written  in  French:  "I  spent  this  year  $300  more  than  I 
made."  His  marriage  with  Miss  Coues  took  place  in 
October,  1802,  and  they  went  on  their  honeymoon  to  Cornish 
and  Hanover. 

He  resmned  vaccination  in  the  Spring  of  1803,  constructed 
a  Galvanic  battery  and  used  it  medically,  compounded 
oxygen  gas  and  utihzed  it  for  asthma  and  built  his  own  soda 
fountain,  manufacturing  mineral  water  for  his  patients  and 
the  public.  The  battery  and  the  fountain  seem  to  have  been 
the  first  made  in  New  Hampshire.  He  wrote  medical 
papers,  and  read  them  before  the  medical  society  or  printed 
them  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day.  One  of  these  on  quacks 
showed  the  people  the  misery  inflicted  by  these  travelhng 
wretches,  especially  upon  the  cancerous.  He  was  much  in- 
terested in  Ergot,  experimented  with  it  largely,  at  first 
denied  its  efficacy  and  finally  acknowledged  his  mistake. 
Another  paper  on  "Interlocked  Twins"  attracted  attention. 
He  dissected  daily  during  cold  weather,  became  a  skilled 
anatomist  and  surgeon,  and  obtained  a  considerable  practice 
in  this  branch  of  medicine.  He  operated  for  cataract,  hernia, 
necrosis,  did  many  amputations,  and  a  good  deal  of  minor 
surgery. 

The  following  instance  of  his  surgical  conservatism  is 
worth  inserting:  Without  informing  Dr.  Spalding  that  am- 
putation of  the  leg  had  been  advised  by  a  capable  surgeon 
in  a  case  of  necrosis  of  the  tibia,  he  was  called  in  to  look  at 
the  patient  and  thereupon  he  said  that  the  leg  could  be 
saved.  He  was  told  then  that  arrangements  had  been  made 
to  amputate  it  that  afternoon.  He  retired  from  the  case, 
and  being  sent  for  refused  to  attend  except  in  consultation. 

This  being  arranged,  he  showed  what  he  proposed  to  do, 

110 


MEDICAL  LIFE  AT  PORTSMOUTH         111 

did  it,  and  in  a  few  weeks  that  patient  who  had  been  bed- 
ridden for  years  was  walking  without  a  cane  or  a  crutch. 

Amongst  the  accidents  which  he  mentions  in  his  papers 
were  one  of  suffocation  in  a  theatre  during  a  panic  following 
an  alarm  of  fire.  Another  one  was  of  ptosis  (falling  of  the 
upper  eyelid)  after  a  stroke  of  lightning  affecting  a  woman 
sitting  at  an  open  window  during  a  thunder  shower,  but 
which  was  relieved  after  using  the  electric  battery  which 
Dr.  Spalding  had  built. 

He  once  reported  a  case  resembling  spontaneous  com- 
bustion; an  old  lady  was  left  at  home  one  Sunday  morning, 
all  the  rest  of  the  family  having  gone  to  church.  Upon  their 
return  nothing  was  discovered  of  the  woman  but  a  heap  of 
ashes.  Dr.  Spalding  was  called,  and  looked  at  the  ashes 
and  noticed  the  vile  smell  of  burning  flesh.  Nothing  else 
in  the  house  was  in  any  way  injured.  As  the  family 
claimed  that  when  they  left  home  there  was  no  fire  in  the 
house,  we  can  but  speculate  upon  this  phenomenon.  Was 
it  an  accident  from  a  tinder  spark  or  was  it  spontaneous 
combustion? 

The  public  esteem  in  which  Dr.  Spalding  was  now  held  is 
proved  by  his  being  named  as  an  Executor  of  the  Will  of  the 
Widow  "Martha  Hilton"  Wentworth.  She  had  first  mar- 
ried Governor  Benning  Wentworth,  as  Longfellow  relates, 
and  later  on  Colonel  Michael  Wentworth,  not  a  relation  of 
the  Governor,  but  a  hero,  by  his  own  right  of  having  fought 
at  CuUoden  and  Fontenoy.  He  came  to  Portsmouth  about 
1760,  practiced  law,  married  the  Governor's  widow  and  died 
September  25th,  1795.  The  inventory  of  his  estate  mentions 
a  handsome  Chariot  and  six  horses,  a  portrait  of  King  George 
III,  the  personal  gift  of  his  Majesty,  and  much  elegant 
furniture.  His  widow  to  whose  estate  as  I  have  said,  Dr. 
Spalding  was  named  as  Executor,  although  he  declined  the 
Trust,  left  him  four  handsome  silver  spoons  made,  as  the 
Hall  Mark  shows,  by  John  Gorham  of  Gutter  Lane,  London, 
in  1759. 

The  first  letter  belonging  to  1803  reads  as  follows : 

"Cambridge,  April  24th,  1803.  Dear  Sir:  Agreeably  to  your 
request  I  here  enclose  some  fresh  vaccine  virus  matter  which  was 
taken  from  a  child  on  the  8th  day  from  vaccination  and  is  not  more 
than  20  hours  old.  My  late  pubHcation  has  at  last  set  forth  the 
History  of  the  practice  in  America  in  its  true  point  of  fight  and  cor- 


112  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

rected  several  ill  grounded  notions.    I  am,   Sir,  Your  Humble 
Servant,  Benjamin  Waterhouse." 

About  the  same  time  also  Dr.  Spalding  received  official 
notice  of  his  election  to  the  State  Medical  Society. 

"Kingston,  N.  H.  June  8,  1803.  Sir:  I  am  dii-ected  to  notify 
you,  that  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical 
Society  held  at  Exeter  on  the  25th  of  May,  last,  j^'ou  were  unani- 
mously elected  a  Fellow  of  said  Society,  and  that  the  next  annual 
meeting  will  be  held  at  the  house  of  Ezra  Hutcliingsi  in  Exeter  on 
the  last  Wednesday  of  May,  1804,  at  which  time  and  place  your 
attendance  is  requested.  I  am  your  Obedient  Servant,  Levi  Bart- 
lett.  Secretary." 

Dr.  Thomas  Manning  (1775-1854),  the  writer  of  the  next 
letter  to  appear,  belonged  to  the  Massachusetts  Medical 
Society,  and  to  a  family,  many  of  whom  were  physicians.  He 
seems  to  have  bought,  sold,  made  over,  repaired,  leased, 
mortgaged  and  rented  more  Mansions,  than  any  physician 
whose  career  I  have  ever  investigated.  He  was  at  this  time 
living  in  what  had  been  the  Parsonage  of  the  First  Church. 
He  was  practicing  in  Ipswich  as  early  as  1799,  and  as  late 
as  1830,  and  then  retired  to  enjoy  a  green  old  age. 

"Ipswich,  September  6,  1803.  Dear  Sir:  I  am  favored  with  the 
opportunity  of  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  your  last  year's  Bill  of 
Mortality  of  Portsmouth.  I  assure  you  that  your  communication 
will  always  meet  with  a  warm  reception  when  put  into  my  hands. 
As  I  am  writing  permit  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  material 
March,  which  you  have  gained  on  me  in  the  birth  of  your  child. 
But,  why  are  you  so  laconic  in  your  communications,  and  why  will 
you  not  accompany  them  with  some  additional  remarks  on  Chemis- 
try, in  the  future?  Call  now  to  recollection  your  past  omissions  and 
so  preclude  farther  accusations  from  me. 

Although  I  have  not  yet  the  pleasure  of  an  acquaintance  with  Mrs. 
Spalding,  I  presume  to  request  you  to  make  m}'^  respects  to  her,  and 
tell  her  that  I  wish  that  she  may  find  continual  joy  in  the  life  of  your 
mutual  darling.'^    Your  very  obedient  servant.    Tho's  Manning." 

After  Dr.  Spalding  had  completed  his  galvanic  battery,  he 
communicated  the  fact  to  Dr.  Smith,  who  in  his  turn  made 

'  Ezra  Hutchings  was  not  a  physician,  as  stated  in  the  "Records" 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society,  but  simply  the  Landlord  of 
the  Tavern  whore  the  society  meetings  were  held. 

2  "Your  mutual  darling"  was  Elizabeth  Parkhurst  Spalding,  bora 
August  11,  1803. 


-q/i^ 


>^ 


.^f...,^^  u.0,....^-^  JV'^^ 


2j    ^jjt^-^  ^^-^    "^ 

LETTER    FROM    DR.    NATHAN    SMITH   ABOUT  THE   GALVANIC   BATTERY:    DR.   SMITH 
COULD    NEVER  SPELL  GRANDFATHER'S    NAME   CORRECTLY 


MEDICAL  LIFE  AT  PORTSMOUTH         113 

various  experiments,  but  with  poor  success.  In  the  emer- 
gency he  applies  to  his  former  pupil  for  information  by 
letter. 

Hanover,  November  7,  1803.  Sir:  I  wish  you  to  inform  me  by  a 
letter,  where,  and  how  you  obtain  the  Zinc  of  which  you  make  your 
Galvanic  Pile.  I  have  been  disappointed  at  several  attempts  to 
obtain  it.  I  wish  also  that  you  would  give  me  a  short  account  of  its 
operation,  and  its  effects  on  the  body  and  you  will  oblige,  Your 
Friend  and  Servant,  Nathan  Smith. 

N.  B.    I  shall  be  at  Hanover  during  this  month." 

The  only  letter  at  hand  for  1804  is  from  John  Eliot  (1754- 
1813),  a  founder  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society  and 
a  graduate  of  Harvard  and  Edinburgh.  He  had  married 
into  the  Portsmouth  family  of  the  Tread  wells,  and  was  well 
acquainted  in  that  way  with  Dr.  Spalding.  EHot's  "Bio- 
graphical Dictionary  of  Eminent  Men  in  New  England"  was 
highly  thought  of.  Mr.  Eliot  had  sent  some  "Collections  of 
the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society"  to  the  Portsmouth 
Library,  and  Dr.  Spalding  as  Librarian  had  returned  thanks 
and  enclosed  a  Bill  of  MortaHty  and  a  copy  of  his  "Chemical 
Nomenclature."    Here  is  Mr.  Eliot's  reply: 

"Boston,  March  9th,  1804.'  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your  poHte 
letter  of  acknowledgment  of  the  Books,  and  am  very  glad  to  learn 
that  your  Portsmouth  Library  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  that 
you  are  the  Librarian.  I  feel  interested  in  everything  that  concerns 
it.  The  founders  of  it  were  my  particular  friends,  and  did  me  the 
honor  of  deshing  me  to  write  a  list  of  books,  which  were  sent  for 
among  the  first  their  subscription  afforded.  The  Historical  Collec- 
tions, which  I  send  you,  are  a  good  addition.  I  would  not  have 
parted  with  them  to  an  Individual,  but  hope  they  will  be  read  by 
many  in  Portsmouth  and  that  they  will  find  entertainment  in  dry 
antiquities,  as  they  appertain  to  their  ot\ti  country. 

Your  present  to  our  Historical  Society,  I  received  and  thank  you 
in  their  name.  Such  Bills  of  Mortahty  in  every  town  would  be 
useful,  but  professional  men  are  generally  lazy.  It  is  the  fault  of 
some  of  our  most  eminent  physicians  in  Boston. 

Your  new  Nomenclature  will  be  useful.  It  shows  how  much  you 
have  attended  to  that  Science,  which  will  be  among  the  fashionable 
studies  here  in  a  few  years  as  it  is  now  in  Europe.  I  studied  Chemis- 
try with  Priestly 's  "  Nomenclature  "^  and  cannot  break  off  my 

1  Priestly'9  "Nomenclature"  was  one  of  a  large  number  of  con- 
tributions to  science  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Priestly  (1733-1804)  who  had 
lately  died.    This  great  ecclesiastic  and  greater  chemist  was  bom  in 


114  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

prejudices  suddenly.  I  call  them  prejudices,  from  the  habits  of 
study  when  I  was  better  able  to  attend  to  such  things  than  I  am 
now.  I  feel  my  attachment  increase,  since  that  great  and  good  man 
has  died  in  the  same  opinion.  Great,  he  was,  in  everything.  .  tho' 
wrongheaded  in  some,  and  perhaps  it  may  be  in  his  deductions  from 
his  experiments  concerning  the  phlogistic  principle.  Allowing  this, 
yet  his  Nomenclature  seems  to  me  very  expressive.  Or,  being  more 
used  to  it,  I  may,  as  said  before,  be  more  prejudiced. 

Were  I  on  the  Committee  of  Publication  this  j^ear,  I  should  put 
your  Bills  of  Mortahty  in  the  9th  Vol.  of  our  Collections.  It  would 
not  be  foreign  to  such  a  kind  of  pubhcation,  but  part  of  the  History 
of  the  place.  The  use  that  will  be  made  by  comparing  them  with 
those  of  other  towns  in  the  state  is  one  thing.  I  wish  to  put  them 
into  the  Collection,  as  Illustrations  of  the  state  of  a  town  whose 
history  we  want  more  complete. 

With  due  esteem  and  respect,  Your  Most  Obedient  Servant, 
J.  Eliot." 

The  first  letter  for  the  year  1805  is  from  Dr.  Mitchill  in 
reply  to  one  from  Portsmouth. 

"Washington,  February  7,  1805.  Dear  Sir.  Your  Bill  of  Mor- 
tality for  1804  has  reached  me,  and  I  thank  you  for  it.  What  a 
dreadful  calamity  the  Pulmonary  Consumption  is!  I  believe,  so 
far  as  our  Bills  extend  in  New  York,  that  one  fifth  of  our  deaths  are 
by  the  same  fatal  malady.  I  hope  you  will  continue  your  obser- 
vations. We  shall  preserve  it,  and  extend  the  circulation  of  it  ia  the 
"Repository."  I  find  that  Dr.  Miller  has  got  out  the  31st  No., 
which  is  the  3d  part  of  Vol.  8.  I  received  it  a  few  dajj's  ago  from  the 
booksellers,  by  mail.  It  is  full  of  original  and  valuable  matter.  I 
have  observed  that  your  Bill  of  Mortality  for  the  last  year  has  been 
reprinted  in  London.  With  Great  Regard  and  Esteem,  Samuel  L. 
Mitchill." 

A  note  from  Dr.  Caldwell  shows  us  that  Dr.  Spalding  had 
been  obtaining  subscribers  for  his  translation  of  Desault's 
"Surgery"  and  from  it  we  find  him  obtaining  a  Set,  as  a  gift. 

England  and  died  in  Pennsylvania,  having  been  driven  from  home  by 
mobs  who  thought  that  his  views  on  Reform  were  wrong.  As  a  man, 
Priestly  was  rapid  in  his  gait,  and  in  his  repartee.  His  sermons  were 
friendly  talks  with  his  people.  He  wrote  on  Theology,  Philology, 
History,  Politics  and  Sociology.  As  a  Chemist  he  discovered  Oxygen 
Gas,  and  Soda  Water  preparations,  and  in  Chemical  Science  he  stood 
upon  the  Heights.  Although  offered  a  Chair  in  Chemistry  in  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  on  reaching  America,  he  preferred  to  live 
in  the  country,  where  he  worked  to  the  last,  dictating  a  Treatise,  a  few 
minutes  only,  before  his  death. 


MEDICAL  LIFE  AT  PORTSMOUTH  115 

"Philadelphia,  June  13,  1805.  Dear  Sir.  Accept  my  sincere 
thanks  for  your  attention  to  the  interest  and  circulation  of  my 
Translation  of  Desault's  "Surgery."^  The  number  of  copies  of 
that  work  directed  in  your  polite  letter  have  been  forwarded  to  you 
at  my  request,  together  with  one  attached  for  yourself,  by  W.  P. 
Farrand  and  Co.  Booksellers  in  Philadelphia  to  whose  order  you  will 
have  the  goodness  to  pay  the  subscription  money.  I  am,  with  High 
Regard,  Your  friend  and  obedient  Servant,  Ch.  Caldwell." 

I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  at  this  place  how  a  patient 
of  Dr.  Spalding  could  be  at  Hanover,  unless  he  had  operated 
upon  her  for  cataract  whilst  taking  a  vacation  there  and  had 
left  her  in  charge  of  Dr.  Smith,  who  now  writes  concerning 
her. 

"Hanover,  June  25,  1805.  Dear  Sir:  Mrs.  Peirce,  your  patient 
has  been  attended  to.  But  her  case  is  of  that  kind  which  forbids 
my  giving  her  any  encouragement  of  receiving  her  sight.  She  seems 
to  be  afflicted  with  a  degree  of  inflammation  and  soreness  of  the 
eyehds,  which  might  possibly  be  mended.  For  that  purpose  I 
would  wash  them  once  or  twice  a  day  in  a  solution  of  corrosive 
sublimate,  in  the  proportion  of  two  grains  to  a  pint  of  water.  The 
Thebain  tincture  of  Sydenham^  may  also  be  tried  to  constringe  and 

1  Pierre  Joseph  Desault  (1744-1785)  was  set  to  study  theology  in 
the  country  but  escaped  to  the  more  attractive  Medical  Schools  of 
Paris.  He  lectured  later  in  that  city  with  much  success  despite  the 
jealousy  of  the  regular  faculties.  He  had  charge  of  the  Dauphin 
(Louis  XVII)  during  the  Revolution,  is  said  to  have  denounced  an  in- 
tended substitution,  and  to  have  been  poisoned  to  get  him  out  of  the 
way.  It  may  be  added,  that  Chopart  (collaborator  with  Desault  in 
medical  works  and  originator  of  " Chopart' s  amputation"  of  the  foot) 
was  called  into  consultation  with  Desault  in  this  case  and  agreed  with 
him  that  substitution  of  children  had  been  performed.  Chopart  also 
died  of  a  rapid  fever,  and  he,  too,  is  said  to  have  been  poisoned. 

2  Thomas  Sydenham  (1624-1689),  though  hving  long  before  the  date 
of  this  letter,  is  worth  annotating  as  a  Hero  in  Medicine.  He  fought 
with  Cromwell,  obtained  the  Sinecure  of  Comptroller  of  the  Pipe,  and 
at  last  discovering  that  he  knew  nothing  about  medicine  studied  in 
France,  and  settled  in  London  where  he  obtained  an  excellent  practice 
chiefly  owing  to  the  fame  obtained  by  printing  an  account  of  his  own 
case  of  Gout.  Most  of  his  works  appeared  in  Latin,  but  whether  so 
written  or  translated  from  EngUsh  is  still  disputed.  He  was  a  bitter 
talker  and  many  stories  are  told  concerning  him.  He  once  sent  a 
grumbhng  patient  all  the  way  on  horse  back  to  consult  a  "Dr.  Robin- 
eon"  in  Dundee.  When  the  man  arrived  there  and  found  no  such 
physician,  he  set  off  furious  to  London.  Arriving  there  he  had  high 
words  with  Sydenham  who  appeased  him  in  this  way.  "I  sent  you  to 
Dundee  with  something  to  think  of  on  your  way:  that  a  new  doctor 


116  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

strengthen  the  vessels  of  the  ej^es.  As  Internal  Remedie  I  would 
give  her  iron,  and  some  of  the  stimulating  gums.  The  following 
pills  I  have  found  useful;  ^'  Gum  Guaiacum,  Saponis  Castillensis, 
Sal  Martis,  aa.  Take  two  at  night  and  in  the  morning.  I  would  also 
recommend  the  use  of  diuretics,  such  as  tincture  of  cantharides, 
and  terebinthinate  medicines.  I  cured  a  patient  where  there  was 
a  considerable  collection  of  matter  about  the  loiee,  by  the  help  of 
issues  apphed  to  the  part;  uon  and  strong  diuretics,  internally.  I 
write  in  great  haste,  being  called  tliis  moment  to  attend  a  patient 
afflicted  with  gangrene.  With  respect  and  affection,  I  remain  your 
sincere  friend  and  very  humble  servant.    Nathan  Smith." 

The  end  of  the  year  brought  another  delightful  letter 
from  Dr.  Jenner, 

"Berkeley,  Gloucestershire.  November  12,  1805.  Dear  Sir: 
Your  letter,  though  rather  laconic,  of  the  27th  day  of  May  last 
affords  me  great  satisfaction.  I  beg  that  you  will  accept  my 
thanks  for  your  kind  attention,  in  sending  me  your  Bill  of  Mortality 
of  Portsmouth  for  the  pre\'ious  years.  You  may  also  easily  con- 
ceive what  gratification  it  is  to  me  to  hear  that  the  powers  of 
vaccination  have  so  clearly  manifested  themselves  in  your  experi- 
ments, as  to  have  eradicated  that  Horrid  Pest,  Small  Pox,  from  any 
particular  district.  Information  similar  to  that  which  you  convey 
has  reached  me  from  various  parts  of  the  world.  Vienna  exhibits  a 
curious  instance.  The  bill  of  Mortahty  has  there  shown  that  the 
average  number  of  deaths  by  smaU  pox  had  exceeded  eight  hundred 
for  a  number  of  years  past,  but  that  in  the  year  1804,  five  years  only, 
after  the  introduction  of  Cow  Pox  by  my  disciple,  Dr.  De  Carro,* 
TWO  INDIVIDUALS  only  fell  victim  to  that  disease. 

I  now  request  all  vaccine  inoculators  to  be  particularly  cautious 
in  the  examination  of  the  progress  of  thfe  pustule  in  those  who  are 
affected  with  an  Herpetic  Skin,  imder  whatsoever  form  this  affection 

would  cure  you.  Knowing  that  there  was  no  such  man  there,  I  knew, 
again,  that  on  your  way  home  you  would  have  but  one  thing  to  think 
of,  and  that  was  to  be  mad  at  me.  Now  you  are  cured;  and  what  more 
can  you  do  than  pay  a  fee  to  me,  and  to  the  other  doctor  who  cured 
you."  Sydenham  died  frorr.  a  calculus,  but  his  Tincture  is  stiU  with 
us. 

1  Jean  De  Carro  was  born  in  Geneva,  in  1770,  and  graduated  at 
Edinburgh.  He  was  practicing  in  Vienna  in  1799  at  983  Rauherstein, 
when  Jenner  brought  forward  vaccination,  and  was  the  first  to  extend 
its  use  by  dipping  ivory  points  into  the  lymph  when  ready.  He  also 
sent  to  Moscow,  Persia  and  India  lymph  imbedded  between  plates  of 
glass,  which  were  then  covered  with  layers  of  wax  until  the  parcel  re- 
sembled an  ordinary  ball  of  wax.  In  tins  way  the  lymph  arrived  safely 
and  proved  effective.  De  Carro's  only  regret  in  life  was  that  he  never 
met  Dr.  Jenner. 


MEDICAL  LIFE  AT  PORTSMOUTH  117 

may  appear.  My  reason  for  enjoining  this  precaution  is  this:  I 
clearly  perceive  it  to  be  by  far  the  more  common  than  any  other 
cause,  of  the  Spurious  or  Imperfect  vaccine  pustule;  that  pustule 
which  does  not  guard  the  patient  from  future  infection.  I  have 
discovered  too,  that  this  has  been  the  cause  of  insecurity  obtained 
from  variolous  inoculation.  We  have  abundant  instances  of  per- 
sons taking  the  Small  Pox  after  a  supposed  security  due  to  small  pox 
inoculation.  Your  country  doubtless  affords  similar  examples, 
your  obedient  servant,  Edward  Jenner. 

P.  S.  If  you  have  any  case  of  small  pox  after  small  pox  in- 
oculation, pray  communicate  them,  or  any  observations  on 
Herpes,  which  I  presume  is  as  common  in  the  New,  as  in  the 
Old  World." 

This  is  now  the  place  to  introduce  another  life  long  friend 
of  Dr.  Spalding,  Philander  Chase  (1775-1852),  born  in  Cor- 
nish, educated  at  Dartmouth  and  first  serving  as  a  Mission- 
ary Preacher  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  New  York.  He 
then  became  Rector  of  churches  in  New  Orleans  and  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut.  He  was  the  first  Bishop  of  Ohio, 
President  of  Kenyon  College,  of  the  Theological  Seminary  of 
Ohio,  of  Jubilee  College  and  last  of  all  Bishop  of  IlHnois. 
He  was  a  Militant  Churchman,  and  an  intense  hater  of 
Negro  Slavery. 

From  his  letter  arriving  in  the  Spring  of  1806  we  learn  of 
the  state  of  affairs  in  Louisiana  soon  after  its  purchase  by 
the  United  States. 

"New  Orleans,  March  8,  1806.  My  dear  friend:  I  beUeve,  if 
either  of  us  were  asked  why  we  have  not  kept  up  a  correspondence 
with  each  other,  no  satisfactory  reply  could  be  given.  For  my  own 
part,  I  have  been  ashamed  of  neglecting,  so  long,  an  early  friend, 
and  one  whom  I  so  sincerely  esteem.  The  tidings  of  your  fame  in 
the  exercise  of  your  professional  functions  have  frequently  reached 
my  ear,  and  made  glad  my  heart;  and  lately  as  it  is,  I  am  now 
happy  to  let  you  know  something  of  myself.  .  .  .  Till  last  October 
I  resided  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  engaged  in  the  arduous  cares  of  a 
Parish  Minister,  and  Principal  of  Dutchess  Academy.  The  Bishop 
of  New  York,  having  received  a  letter  from  the  Protestants  in  New 
Orleans,  requesting  a  Clergyman  might  be  recommended  to  them, 
was  pleased  to  pitch  upon  me,  for  that  purpose.  I  obeyed,  and 
leaving  my  family  in  Poughkeepsie,  came  on,  and  found  things 
to  answer  for  the  most  part,  my  expectations.  I  think  I  shall  for  a 
while  take  up  my  residence  in  this  city.  For  this  purpose  I  shall 
if  it  please  God  go  on  for  my  family  in  May;  in  doing  which  I  shall 
take  the  opportunity  of  visiting  my  friends  in  general.    On  my  way 


118  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

to  Portland,  Maine,  to  see  my  Brother  Salmon  ^  I  intend  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  once  more  joining  hands  with  j^ou,  and  happy  shall 
I  be,  in  finding  your  friendship  as  unimpaired  as  mine.  As  to 
News,  you  know  more  than  I  do,  being  so  far  from  the  Seat  of 
Gov't;  The  Spaniards  threaten  hard,  but  have  done  nothing  ma- 
terial as  j'et,  by  land.  The  Gov't  of  the  State  will  probably  declare 
war  ag't  the  U.  S.,  for  interdicting  our  commerce  with  them.  The 
difference  with  Great  Britain  wiR  end,  we  are  afraid,  in  something 
almost  too  unpleasant  to  think  on.  In  trjdng  "to  see  who  wiU  do 
the  other  the  most  harm,"  both  must  be  but  too  successful.  God 
avert  this  great  Calamity!! 

IMy  health  never  was  better.  The  Climate  of  this  Country  has, 
as  yet,  proved  pleasing  beyond  description.  "We  have  had  but  6  or 
8  days  of  freezing  weather,  this  winter.  The  roses  are  now  in  full 
bloom,  and  the  time  of  the  singing  of  the  birds  has  come. 

May  God  bless  and  preserve  j^ou.  My  respectful  compUments 
to  Mrs.  Spalding.    Yours  Sincerely,  Philander  Chase." 

Dr.  Spalding  was  often  consulted  by  seafaring  men,  who 
would  sail  away,  leaving  their  bills  unpaid.  In  his  en- 
deavors to  obtain  payment,  he  had  occasion  in  1806  to  in- 
quire the  whereabouts  of  these  patients  from  friends  in 
Portland,  Maine.  Amongst  many  letters  concerning  such 
disagreeable  disputes,  I  choose  one  or  two  from  Dr.  William 
Frost,^  and  Mr.  Kinsman  ^  of  that  place. 

^  My  Brother  Salmon  (1761-1806)  was  a  Dartmouth  graduate  and 
a  lawyer  in  Portland.  He  was  "AU  at  sea"  with  a  Jury,  but  so  brimful 
of  facts  and  cases  that  he  was  kno■v^^l  as  "The  Law  Book."  His  nephew, 
Salmon  Portland  Chase,  the  gifted  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  in  1861, 
was  named  after  his  Uncle  Salmon,  but  to  honor  Mm,  particularly,  the 
nephew  was  given  the  middle  name  of  Portland,  where  his  uncle  had 
practiced  law. 

2  WiUiam  Frost  (1781-1823)  was  the  sixth  son  of  Gen.  John  Frost  of 
Kittery  who  had  served  in  the  Revolution  and  was  blessed  with  a 
large  family.  He  served  as  surgeon's  mate  in  the  Navy,  was  a  physician 
in  Portland  and  died  in  the  West  Indies  on  his  42nd  birthday.  Whether 
he  was  in  the  Tropics  as  a  Ship's  Surgeon  at  that  time,  or  in  search  of 
health,  I  have  not  discovered.  In  looking  over  some  old  books,  I 
lately  found  a  few  of  his  which  testified  to  his  good  hterary  taste. 

'  Nathan  Kinsman  (1777-1829)  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in 
the  Class  of  1799  when  Dr.  Spalding  was  Chemical  Lecturer;  they 
roomed  together  at  one  time  and  were  great  friends.  Kinsman  came 
from  Lincoln,  Maine,  and  settled  in  Portland,  where  he  had  an  ex- 
tensive law  practice.  He  is  said  to  have  had  more  "Embargo  Cases" 
than  any  other  lawyer,  and  it  was  facetiously  remarked,  that  if  you 
only  spelled  "Embargo"  backward  (O  grab  me)  you  would  understand 
why  lawyers  were  bo  anxious  to  be  retained  in  such  profitable  cases. 


MEDICAL  LIFE  AT  PORTSMOUTH  119 

In  his  first  letter  Dr.  Frost  asks  for  Vaccine. 

"Portland,  March  10,  1806.  Dear  Spalding:  I  have  had  re- 
peated occasions  to  apply  to  you  for  favours  and  again  have  the 
presumption  to  request  another. 

I  have  had  several  applications  of  late  to  Inoculate  for  the  Kine 
Pock  and  am  imder  the  necessity  to  apply  to  you  for  some  of  the 
vaccine  matter,  presuming  you  have  some  fresh  and  genuine  or  can 
procure  some,  as  you  generally  Inoculate  at  this  season  of  the  year. 
If  you  have  any  you  can  rely  on  as  genuine,  be  so  obhging  as  to 
put  up  a  small  quantity  in  the  manner  you  usually  transport  it, 
and  forward  it  by  Mail,  and  I  will  satisfy  you  in  whatsoever  may  be 
the  price  of  it,  and  convey  it  to  you  through  the  same  mediiun. 
.  .  .  Also,  the  volumes  on  Surgery  (Deasult's)  that  I  subscribed 
for  last  summer;  if  they  have  been  sent  on  to  you.  If  you  will  let 
me  know  what  the  price  of  them  was,  I  will  remit  you  the  money 
at  the  same  time.  If  the  Postage  of  the  volumes  of  Surgery  isn't 
more  than  2/  or  2/6  to  Portland,  you  may  send  it  with  the  Vaccine 
matter,  and  directed  to  Portland.  But  if  the  Postage  is  more,  you 
you  may  keep  it,  until  you  have  a  favourable  opportunity  to  forward 
it,  or  wait  until  I  come  to  Portsmouth.  Excuse  the  hberty  I  take, 
and  permit  me  to  Subscribe  myseK,  your  Sincere  Friend  and  Serv't., 
Wm.  Frost." 

In  his  second  note,  Dr.  Frost  writes  about  the  bad  debts. 

"Portland,  July  9,  1806.  Dear  Spalding:  Your  letters,  one  with 
the  Kine  Pox  matter  and  the  other  including  the  Bills  for  Collec- 
tion, both  came  safely  to  hand.  The  consequence  of  my  bemg 
obliged  to  go  to  Boston  a  day  or  two  after  I  rec'd  yoiu-  Present  of 
Vaccine  virus:  it  was  out  of  my  power  to  inoculate  with  it  until 
since  my  return,  which  has  been  only  about  two  weeks.  Soon 
after  my  return  I  inoculated  with  it,  but  the  period  has  not  yet 
come  to  determine  whether  it  has  not  been  injured  by  age.  .  .  . 
I  something  expect  it  is. 

Your  bills  against  patients  I  have  settled  in  the  usual  way  of 
settling  Doctor's  bills  nowadays,  by  taking  Notes  of  hand,  in  pay- 
ment: which  you  will  receive  enclosed.  They  would  not  give  the 
Notes  for  a  shorter  time.  Sawyer  tried  to  plead  off  by  saying 
"He  had  sworn  out  of  jail  lately,  and  did  not  know  that  he  ever 
should  be  able  to  pay  it,"  but  I  at  last  persuaded  him  to  give  the 
note. 

Mr.  Chase  informs  me  he  has  collected  one  account,  and  will  pay 
it  to  your  order.  It  will  be  as  well  to  direct  him  to  send  it  by  mail 
as  it  will  go  safer.    Your  Obliged  Humble  Servt.,  Wm.  Frost. 

P.S.  If  this  vaccine  should  not  prove  good,  I  presume  that  I 
shall  once  more  intrude  on  your  goodness  for  a  Uttle  more." 


120  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Mr.  Chase  died  about  this  time,  and  the  bills  were  then 
left  wdth  Mr.  Kinsman  who  wrote  to  this  effect  about  col- 
lecting them. 

"Portland,  Nov.  19,  1806:  Dear  Sir:  On  settling  one  of  your 
accounts  I  recollect  a  request  in  a  letter  from  you,  that  whoever 
the  attorney  might  be,  some  information  on  the  subject  should  be 
forwarded  to  you,  and,  was  it  not  Court  Week,  I  could  give  you 
more  information  on  the  topic,  of  your  accounts  handed  me  by 
Dr.  Frost.  But,  the  evening  is  the  only  time  I  have  to  answer 
letters,  and  at  my  house.  I,  therefore,  can  only  say  that  this  man 
paid  $15,  and  Costs.  So  soon  as  the  Court  rises  I  will  forward  the 
monej^  by  post,  or  in  any  other  way  that  you  direct.  Shall  be  very 
happy  to  obey  yoiu  commands  should  any  more  of  your  patients 
stroll  down  this  way.  In  Friendship;  Your  OBDT  Servt,  Nathan 
Kinsman." 

Writing  again  in  February,  1807,  Mr.  Kinsman  says: 

"The  only  apology  I  can  make  for  not  acknowledging  your  last 
letter  and  the  one  before  it,  covering  sundry  demands  for  col- 
lection, is,  that  the  unusual  calls  on  me  of  late  in  the  line  of  my 
profession  has  caused  me  to  forget  answering  them.  I  have  at 
last  attended  to  some  of  the  accounts,  but  have  collected  only  $10. 
I  offered  one  man  to  take  a  Note  at  12  months,  but  he  is  such  a 
poor  drunken  fellow,  that  no  one  will  endorse  him.  Another  is 
dead,  and  his  wife,  if  he  ever  married  her,  has  no  property  as  I  am 
informed  by  the  constable." 

In  a  final  letter  Mr.  Kinsman  writes: 

"Enclosed  you  have  the  $19,  the  balance  due  you  after  I  charged 
off  my  commission.    Your  Friend,  Kinsman." 

I  will  now  go  back  to  1806  and  introduce  two  new  friends 
of  Dr.  Spalding,  Mr.  Brackett  of  New  York,  a  well-known 
lawyer  and  Hon.  Silas  Dinsmoor,  a  distinguished  pohtician 
of  that  era.  Joseph  Warren  Brackett  (1775-1826)  came 
from  Greenland,  New  Hampshire,  was  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth in  1800,  and  settled  in  New  York,  where  he  practiced 
law  and  acted  as  attorney  for  Dr.  Spalding  when  he  moved 
to  that  city. 

Silas  Dinsmoor  (1766-1847)  was  born  in  Windham,  New 
Hampshire,  and  died  in  Kentucky.  After  graduating  from 
Dartmouth  he  went  into  politics,  and  was  now  Government 
Agent  for  the  Choctaw  Indians.  He  later  served  as  Quarter- 
master General  and  Colonel  in  the  War  of  1812.    After 


MEDICAL  LIFE  AT  PORTSMOUTH  121 

visiting  Dr.  Spalding,  in  1806,  with  a  letter  of  introduction 
from  Mr.  Brackett,  he  travelled  into  Maine  to  study  Indian 
conditions  in  that  State,  and  on  his  return  renewed  the 
Portsmouth  friendship  and  continued  it  many  years. 

The  early  autumn  brought  a  most  unexpected  letter  from 
Dr.  Noyes  who  had  long  been  silent. 

"Newburyport,  August  30,  1806.  My  Good  Friend:  With  what 
expectations  hast  thou  opened  this  letter?  Didst  thou  expect 
some  Present,  Information,  or  Sentiment?  If  thou  didst,  thou  art 
not  disappointed.  Didst  thou  expect  some  petition?  If  thou 
didst,  I  shall  be  glad,  for  thine  expectation  will  be  fulfilled.  But 
what  is  your  petition?  Why;  that  thou  wouldst  send  me  some 
kine  pox  infection.  Please  to  take  it  on  pointed  quills  and  divert 
it  to  Dr.  Francis  Vergmes,^  or  Nathan  Noyes.  We  have  no  news. 
The  season  is  very  healthy.  I  have  bought  the  last  edition  of 
Rush's  "Enquiries,"  and  wiU  send  them  to  you  if  you  wish.  N. 
Noyes." 

This  same  season  appears  to  have  witnessed  a  fresh  cam- 
paign of  vaccination  in  Maine,  for  Dr.  Spalding  had  many 
requests  for  virus  from  that  State.  One  of  them  was  from 
Dr.  John  Church  of  Wiscasset,  who  later  was  drowned,  and 
another  from  Dr.  Cyrus  Johnson  of  Cape  Elizabeth,  who 
mentions  a  famous  man  Dr.  Jeremiah  Barker. 

"Portland,  Oct.  12,  1806.  Dear  Sir:  Dr.  Barker «  mforms  me 
that  he  has  several  times  received  from  you  some  Kiae  Pock  Mat- 
ter, and  doubts  not  but  I  could  obtain  the  same  favor  by  applying 

1  Dr.  Francis  Vergnies  de  Bonchiere  (1767-1830)  was  borji  and 
educated  in  France,  but  practiced  in  the  island  of  Guadeloupe.  Exiled 
from  there  during  a  Negro  Insurrection,  he  arrived  in  Newburyport 
almost  simultaneously  with  an  epidemic  of  Yellow  Fever,  during  which 
he  was  of  so  great  assistance  to  the  afflicted  that  he  was  publicly  thanked 
at  a  Town  Meeting  in  1797.  Cheerful,  charming  and  poUte,  he  had 
the  misfortune  to  lose  his  eyesight  from  glaucoma,  but  continued  cheer- 
ful to  the  last.  He  left  to  the  library  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical 
Society  his  valuable  medical  books  in  several  languages  but  they  have 
long  since  been  scattered. 

2  Dr.  Jeremiah  Barker  (1752-1835)  has  been  broadly  depicted  by 
me  in  a  monograph  read  before  the  Maine  Historical  Society  in  1910. 
He  was  born  in  Scituate,  Massachusetts,  served  on  a  Privateer  and  on 
the  Penobscot  expedition  during  the  Revolution,  and  then  practiced  in 
Gorham  and  in  Portland,  Maine,  and  finally  retired  to  Gorham.  He 
was  a  most  industrious  practitioner,  and  writer,  and  ardent  in  the  cause 
of  Temperance,  Vaccination  and  Alkalies  in  Fever.  His  detailed 
accounts  of  the  Weather  and  of  Epidemics  in  Maine  possess  much 
medico  historical  value. 


122  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

to  you.  If  you  have  some  fresh  matter  and  will  be  kind  enough  to 
send  me  a  small  quantity,  you  will  Very  Much  Obhge,  Yours  to 
Serve,  Cyrus  Johnson." 

The  Galvanic  Battery  invented  by  Dr.  Spalding  also  made 
him  well  known  and  brought  him  many  inquiries  concerning 
its  use.  One  of  this  sort  from  Dr.  Abel  Blanchard  of  Pitts- 
field,  New  Hampshire,  may  serve  as  an  example  of  many 
others. 

"Pittsfield,  New  Hampshire,  Nov.  10,  1806.  Sir:  I  have  sent  to 
you  for  1  lb  of  Zinc  and  1  oz  Ipecac,  which  I  wiU  thank  you  to  put 
up,  or  direct  the  bearer  where  he  may  procure  them.  The  Zinc  I 
want  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  Volta's  Pile.  I  once  made 
the  attempt  and  failed.  I  took  plates  of  Zink,  SUver  and  pieces  of 
pasteboard,  placed  the  three  successively  and  so  on.  I  wet  them 
with  a  solution  of  various  salts,  but  could  produce  no  effect.  If 
not  too  much  trouble  I  will  thank  you  for  information  on  the  sub- 
ject. Must  the  edge  of  my  plate  be  dry?  ]\Iust  the  Pile  be  in- 
sulated? Or,  did  I  fail  in  some  other  particular?  How  many 
plates,  the  size  of  a  DoUar  \^dll  answer  in  all  cases  of  Disease  where 
Gah-anism  is  useful? 

Not  having  any  personal  acquaintance  with  you,  it  is  with  re- 
luctance I  request  of  you  information  on  the  above  subject,  but 
presuming  I  shall  thereby  be  enabled  to  form  a  Volta  Pile,  which 
shall  be  effectual,  I  take  the  Uberty.  I  am  Sir,  Your  Obdt.  Servant: 
Abel  Blanchard." 

Leaving  now  New  England  friends  aside,  we  find  by  the 
next  letter  from  Dr.  Shadrack  Ricketson  of  New  York,  that 
Dr.  Spalding's  acquaintance  was  extending  far  from  home. 
Dr.  Ricketson  was  a  physician  of  good  standing  in  the  pro- 
fession, had  written,  as  we  shall  see,  a  Popular  Work  on 
Health,  and  at  this  time  is  asking  Dr.  Spalding  to  obtain 
new  subscribers. 

''New  York,  8  Mo.  9th.  1806.  Dear  Doctor:  I  sent  thee  some 
time  past  one  of  the  Prospectuses  of  my  Work,  announced,  on  the 
"Means  of  preserving  health  and  preventing  Diseases,"  which  is 
now  in  the  press,  and  will  shortly  be  completed.  The  plan  of  the 
Work,  will,  I  apprehend,  be  understood  from  what  has  already 
circulated,  but  as  it  is  designed  for  popular  use  as  well  as  for  the 
Faculty,  it  is  not  dressed  in  Medical  Garb  but  Avritten  mostly  in 
as  plain  and  inteUigible  a  style  as  could  be  well  consistent  with  its 
nature,  and  in  order  to  render  it  still  more  so  to  every  capacity,  I 
have  prepared  a  glossary  of  the  technical  Terms  that  have  un- 
avoidably occurred  by  which  its  utility  and  acceptance  will  I  hope 


MEDICAL  LIFE  AT  PORTSMOUTH  123 

be  increased.  As  the  public  have  been  fatigued  and  crowded  with 
Subscriptions,  I  have  proceeded  to  pubhsh  without,  for  which 
reason  it  will  be  more  necessary  to  pave  the  way,  and  diffuse  in- 
formation of  the  pubhcation  in  order  that  the  sale  may  defray  the 
expense  of  printing.  I  have,  accordingly,  asked  the  favour  of  my 
Medical  Friends  and  Correspondents  to  spread  Information  of 
this  Work. 

I  have  consulted  a  gi'eat  number  of  the  most  eminent  of  the 
Faculty  on  the  acceptance  and  utility  of  the  work,  who  generally 
speak  encouragingly  of  it,  and  wish  to  see  it  pubhshed. 

I  msh  that  Information  may  circulate  in  Portsmouth  and  other 
parts  that  way,  of  the  Work,  and  that  it  is  intended  for  general 
use,  and  consequently  important,  and  interesting  to  aU.  I  wish 
to  l3e  informed  of  the  reception  of  this,  with  thy  Prospect  of  the 
sale  of  the  Work,  that  way,  and  any  observation  that  may  occur, 
respecting  it.  Please  to  mention  what  trusty  Bookseller  or  Agent 
in  Portsmouth  would  be  suitable  to  commit  some  of  the  books  to. 
I  judge  that  every  Work  designed  for  popular  use  should  not  only 
be  as  inteUigible,  but  as  concise  and  cheap  as  possible.  I  have 
accordingly,  condensed  mine  into  a  12  Mo  Vol.  tho  it  contains  as 
much  as  some  in  8  vo.  The  price  is  not  fixed,  but  it  will  not  exceed 
150  Cents,  boimd,  by  retail,  and  a  13th  will  be  allowed  Gratis  to 
a  purchaser  of  1  dozen,  as  if  published  by  subscription.  In  Haste, 
Thine;  Shad  Ricketson." 

Dr.  Spalding  agreed  to  sell  a  few  copies  of  the  work,  and 
with  them  came  this  second  letter. 

"400  Pearl  St.,  N.  Y.,  10th.  mo.  18th.  1806.  Dear  Doctor:  I 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  thy  letter  and  am  much  obhged  by  thy 
attention  to  my  requests  respecting  my  books  which  are  now  out 
of  the  press  and  ready  for  Sale. 

I  herewith  send  Thee  26  of  them  for  sale  at  125  cents,  each,  re- 
serving one  to  Thyself  for  disposing  of  each  dozen.  As  C.  Pierce  ^ 
is  a  stranger  to  me,  I  think  best  of  committing  them  to  Thy  care. 
The  expense  of  pubhcation,  having  far  exceeded  my  expectations 
and  the  calculation  of  the  printer,  I  was  almost  induced  to  sell  it 
higher,  but  desirous  of  adapting  it  to  the  abihty  of  every  purchaser 
and  the  capacity  of  the  reader,  as  I  have  endeavored  to  do  by 
the  language  and  a  Glossary,  I  have  concluded  to  sell  as  low,  as 
above. 

Although  the  Recommendations  printed  in  the  book  are  from 
the  first  Physicians  in  the  City,  yet  as  their  names  may  not  be 

1  Charles  Pierce  (1779-1851)  was  a  Portsmouth  Journalist  and 
Bookseller,  who  published  for  several  years  a  local  newspaper  entitled 
"The  Oracle  of  the  Day"  and  "The  United  States  Oracle  of  to  Day." 
He  left  Portsmouth  after  a  successful  career  and  died  in  Philadelphia. 


124  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

known  to  the  public  at  large,  That  Way,^  I  thought  it  might  in- 
troduce and  expedite  the  sale,  if  thou  were  to  add  a  short  recom- 
mendatory paragraph  to  accompany  the  advertisement  ia  the 
Papers,  in  which,  if  another  influential  physician  in  the  town  were 
to  joia,  it  might  be  weU.  I  wish  to  be  informed  of  the  reception  of 
the  books  with  the  prospect  of  their  scale,  That  Way,  and  whether 
any  more  ■will  probably  be  wanted. 

I  note  thy  work  "On  Cutaneous  Diseases,"  which  wiU  be  ac- 
ceptable to  the  World. 

Thy  Bills  of  Mortahty  were  also  acceptable,  and  I  herewith  send 
Thee  a  copy  of  the  Proceedings  of  our  Med.  Soc,  of  the  Committe 
of  Correspondence  of  which  I  am  one. 

Thy  Respectful  and  Obhged  Friend.    Shad.  Ricketson." 

The  last  letters  belonging  to  this  year  are  from  Dr.  Thomas 
Bmnside  (1787-1815)  of  Plymouth,  New  Hampshire,  and 
reveal,  not  only  his  intentions  to  practice  surgery,  but  Dr. 
Spalding's  kind  disposition.  Dr.  Burnside  obtained  his 
medical  degree  at  Dartmouth,  in  1805,  but  died  early. 

"  PljTnouth,  December  10,  1806.  Dear  Sir:  I  hope  you  will  not 
be  surprised  at  recei-\dng  this  from  one  with  whom  you  are  un- 
acquainted; tho'  almost  a  stranger,  yet  I  have  had  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  j^ou  at  our  Lodge  at  Haverhill,  and  accompanied  you  to 
\'isit  Mr.  Webster  who  was  then  unweU  at  that  place.  I  have  at- 
tended two  courses  of  Medical  Lectures  at  Dartmouth,  and  have 
been  in  this  town  about  a  year  as  a  practitioner  in  Physic  and  Sur- 
gery. My  pecuniary  circumstances  are  rather  low,  having  ex- 
pended considerably  for  my  education.  I  now  want  very  much 
Surgical  Instrimaents  for  amputations,  Trephining,  Couching,  etc. 
My  motive  in  wTiting  to  you,  was  to  beg  you  to  inform  me  whether 
I  could  get  them  in  Portsmouth,  and  what  would  be  the  expense  of 
each  set.  And,  if  I  should  send  by  a  friend,  whether  you  would  be 
good  enough  to  pick  them,  that  I  might  not  pay  for  useless  instru- 
ments. .  .  .  Your  Most  Hble.  Serv't,  Thomas  Buenside." 

In  his  second  letter,  dated  Feb.  12,  1807,  he  continues  the 
subject. 

"Dear  Sir:  Your  kind  letter  I  have  just  received.  I  know  not 
how  to  acquit  your  kindness.  The  amputating  instruments  you 
mention,  I  would  buy,  provided  they  will  answer  my  purpose,  and 
will  be  sold  for  their  real  value.  On  you,  I  must  depend  for  this,  as 
I  cannot  come  for  them.  If  they  were  a  good  set,  are  unliurt,  and 
you  are  persuaded  they  will  answer  my  purpose,  I  would  be  glad  to 
purchase  them.    A  full  set,  I  take  it,  will  contain  an  amputating, 

1  "  That  way  "  means  "  In  your  town." 


MEDICAL  LIFE  AT  PORTSMOUTH         125 

a  spring  saw,  two  or  three  different  sized  knives,  a  tourniquet,  a 
tenaculum,  and  perhaps  some  other  things  which  I  now  do  not 
think  of,  together  with  a  case  in  which  they  are  kept.  I  expected 
these  are  all  constructed  according  to  Mr.  Bell.^  I  am  determined 
to  procure  a  good  set,  if  any.  .  .  .  The  instruments  of  midwifery 
I  do  not  want,  but  if  you  wUl  procure  and  send  with  the  rest  a 
catheter  of  elastic  gum,  I  would  be  very  glad.  The  man  by  whom 
I  shall  send  for  those  instruments  will  go  to  Portsmouth  in  two  or 
three  weeks.  I  therefore,  wish  you  to  inform  me  further  respect- 
ing them,  as  soon  as  may  be,  that  I  may  agree  with  him  to  procure 
them;   if  so  shall  send  him  to  you.    Your  Humble  Servt.    Thos. 

BURNSIDE." 

Finally  on  February  27,  1807,  he  writes: 

"Dear  Sir:  I  am  happy  in  receiving  yours  of  the  20  Inst.  The 
instruments  according  to  your  description  will  meet  my  appro- 
bation. Please  to  dehver  them  to  Esq.  Russell,  the  bearer  of  this, 
for  which  he  will  pay  you.  Be  good  enough  to  send  the  catheter 
such  as  you  mentioned,  by  him.  I  am  told  that  those  of  the  elastic 
gum,  which  are  preserved  on  a  straight  wire  are  preferable,  but 
send  such  as  you  can  procure. 

The  unwearied  pains  you  have  taken  in  this  business  is  more 
than  I  could  expect.  If  I  can  ever  be  of  any  service  to  you  in  any 
respect,  I  shall  be  happy.  I  hold  myself  under  the  greatest  obUga- 
tions  to  you,  and  am  Ever,  you  very  Hmble  Servant,  Thos.  Buen- 

SIDE." 

1  "According  to  Mr.  Bell"  means  John  or  Charles  Bell  of  Edinburgh 
the  famous  surgeons." 


CHAPTER  X. 

American  Edition  of  Willan  on  Cutaneous  Diseases.    Benjamin 

Fay,  an  Episode  in  the  Life  of  Dr.  Nathan  Smith.     Post 

Roads  in  New  Hampshire.    Letters  1807-1808. 

The  mention  of  "Thy  work  on  Cutaneous  Diseases"  in 
Dr.  Ricketson's  letter  reminds  me  of  the  fact  that  at  this 
time  Dr.  Spalding  became  interested  in  diseases  of  the  skin, 
from  seeing  several  Parts  of  Dr.  Robert  Willan's  elaborate 
work  with  colored  plates,  entitled  "The  Description  and 
Treatment  of  Cutaneous  Diseases." 

Dr.  Robert  Willan,  the  author  (1757-1813),  was  educated 
at  Edinburgh,  and  on  removing  to  London  obtained  an  ap- 
pointment in  the  Public  Dispensary,  from  which  he  retired 
after  twenty  years  of  duty,  honored  with  a  set  of  silver. 
Willan  was  the  First  English  Dermatologist  and  his  classifi- 
cation of  skin  diseases  is  still  practically  used  for  all 
diagnostic  purposes.  His  work  on  skin  diseases  issued  in 
Parts,  was  first  published  in  1798,  but  not  finished  in  his  life 
time.  He  also  wrote  a  "Life  of  Jesus,"  and  published  an 
illustrated  treatise  on  "Vaccination,"  Becoming  dropiscal, 
he  journed  to  Madeira  in  search  of  health  but  died  there. 

Amongst  the  various  letters  which  bear  upon  Dr.  Spald- 
ing's American  Edition  of  Willan,  the  following  seem  worth 
printing  to  show  his  intentions  which,  however,  failed  owing 
to  his  inability  to  find  any  person  who  could  print  impressions 
in  colors. 

The  first  artist  employed  to  engrave  a  Plate  from  Part  IX 
of  Willan's  book  was  Dr.  Alexander  Anderson  (1775-1870) 
who  was  born  in  New  York,  but  was  early  taken  into  Con- 
necticut by  his  Father  who  feared  conscription  into  the 
British  Navy,  during  the  Revolution.  Although  Anderson 
showed  talent  as  a  draughtsman  at  an  early  age,  his  father 
insisted  upon  his  studying  medicine,  and  it  has  been  asserted 
that  the  son  was  for  a  while  a  House  Physician  in  the  New 
York  Hospital,  but  soon  abandoned  medicine. 

Anderson  was  at  this  time  all  the  rage  with  his  wood  cuts 
and  surgical  engravings,  and  was  for  that  reason  engaged 

12G 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  127 

for  the  new  Willan.  The  only  letter  which  I  find  from  him 
is  the  following,  in  which  he  asks  for  payment  and  offers  to 
forward  the  finished  Plate. 

"New  York,  April  8, 1806.  Dear  Sir:  I  wrote  you  some  time  ago 
by  a  vessel  which,  I  understand,  has  met  with  some  accident,  and 
since  my  letter  may  not  have  reached  you,  I  thought  it  necessary 
in  this  one,  to  state  the  contents. 

I  mentioned  in  it,  the  difficulty  of  drawing,  for  the  $50  you 
offered  me,  and  supposed  that  some  opportunity  might  offer  for 
sending  the  Plate.  As  I  have  to  pay  that  sum  the  1st  of  May,  if 
you  could  make  it  convenient  you  would  much  oblige.  .  .  .  Youra 
Respectfully,  Ale'x  Anderson." 

As  it  seemed  from  this  and  other  letters,  that  Anderson 
could  engrave  a  plate,  but  could  not  pull  from  it  colored  im- 
pressions. Dr.  Spalding  directed  it  to  be  sent  to  Philadelphia 
by  his  cousin,  John  Jackson,  then  in  the  Insurance  business 
in  New  York.  With  his  letter,  Dr.  Spalding  enclosed  a 
draft  for  $125,  from  which  Mr.  Jackson  paid  Dr.  Anderson  a 
final  $20,  and  held  the  remainder  to  Dr.  Spalding's  credit. 

The  plate  was  sent  on  to  Mr.  John  Vaughan,  another  Son 
of  Portsmouth  then  living  in  Philadelphia,  with  directions  to 
hand  it  to  Mr.  David  Edwin  a  second  celebrated  engraver 
of  that  era,  to  see  if  he  could  print  from  it  in  colors. 

Mr.  David  Edwin,  a  son  of  John  Edwin,  an  Enghsh  Comic 
actor  of  wonderful  repute,  was  born  in  Bath,  England,  and 
in  his  16th  year  was  apprenticed  to  an  engraver  in  London. 
David,  however,  ran  away  to  sea  and  settled  in  Philadelphia 
in  1797,  where  he  acquired  much  renown  as  an  engraver  of 
portraits.  After  twenty  years  of  great  success,  he  lost  his 
eyesight  and  retired  from  his  arduous  occupation. 

A  letter  at  this  point  from  Mr.  John  Vaughan  throws  a 
little  more  light  on  the  Willan  Plate,  and  carries  the  story 
along. 

"Philadelphia,  24  December,  1806.  Dear  Doctor:  When  your 
friend  Richards^  was  here,  I  was  on  Jury  Duty,  and  so  continued 

1  Mr.  Richards  was  the  Universalist  Clergyman,  and  prominent 
Mason  from  Portsmouth,  before  mentioned.  He  was  now  "On  TriaP' 
with  the  Universalist  Church  in  Philadelphia.  He  always  spoke  of 
Mrs.  Spalding  as  "Lady"  Spalding,  and  predicted  fame  for  Dr.  Spald- 
ing, saying:  "I  expect  to  see  the  time  when  Lyman  Spalding's  head, 
instead  of  being  on  his  shoulders  will  be  acting  as  Support  of  the  Greatest 
Medical  Journal  in  the  World." 


128  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

near  six  weeks,  which  made  attention  to  him,  impossible.  He  has 
given  great  satisfaction;  they  have  invited  him,  and  seem  disposed 
to  exert  themselves  to  make  his  situation  agreeable  and  to  put  him 
in  the  way,  by  teaching,  of  adding  to  the  salary  they  can  afford  to 
give. 

Your  Plate  has  not  been  many  days  here.  I  put  it  at  once  into 
the  hands  of  Edivin,  but  he  has  not  yet  returned  it.  The  vessel 
you  mentioned  arrived  yesterday.  I  shall  take  care  to  send  it  by 
her,  with  the  Impressions  from  it  which  I  may  receive  from  Edwin. 

I  remain  Yours  Sincerely,  Jn.  Vaughan." 

When  the  impressions  of  Anderson's  Plate  from  the  press 
of  David  Edwin  reached  Portsmouth,  and  were  found  de- 
fective in  color,  being  very  pale  and  indistinct,  Dr.  Spalding 
entered  into  correspondence  with  a  third  engraver  of  national 
fame,  James  Akin,  then  of  Newbuiyport,  Massachusetts. 
Mr.  Akin  will  long  be  known  to  collectors  by  his  prints 
of  "Wolfe's  Tavern"  in  Newbury,  and  by  a  frontispiece 
of  "King  David  with  his  Harp"  as  depicted  in  a  "Set  of 
Sacred  Hymns"  published  by  Amos  Blanchard  of  Exeter, 
New  Hampshire,  in  1805.  Akin's  "Perpetual  Almanac" 
published  by  G.  Goold,  of  Portland,  in  1805,  is  excessively 
rare  and  prized  by  connoisseurs. 

I  have  not  discovered  when  Mr.  Akin  was  born,  but  he 
was  still  flourishing  in  1833,  and  I  have  traced  him  through 
his  long  career  as  a  druggist,  restaurant  keeper,  lithographer, 
caricaturist,  and  engraver  of  Portraits  (amongst  them  the 
familiar  one  of  Dr.  Rush)  and  of  book  plates. 

With  the  year  1807  we  hear  farther  news  from  Mr.  Akin 
concerning  the  impressions  for  the  American  Willan. 

"  Newburyport,  May  12,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  This  morning  your 
note  was  put  into  my  hands  by  one  of  the  Portsmouth  Stage  Drivers, 
by  whom  it  was  my  intention  to  have  forwarded  this  answer.  I 
do  not  particularly  recollect  how  Dr.  Noyes  understood  me,  nor  do 
I  sufficiently  recollect  whether  I  wished  "Some  Physician  Present," 
when  I  should  experiment  for  you.  Certain,  I  am,  at  this  moment, 
however,  that  it  would  be  wholly  unnecessary  to  require  your  at- 
tendance at  the  distance  between  Portsmouth  and  Newburyport. 
I  am  not  unwilling  to  let  any  person  see  the  process  who  should  de- 
sire it,  but  I  cannot  suppose  that  a  gratification  of  this  kind  would 
animate  you  to  leave  your  business. 

If  you  will  forward  me  the  Plate,  I  will,  either  m  your  absence 
or  presence  endeavor  to  produce  such  impressions  of  it  as  will 
satisfy  you  of  my  competency  to  such  a  business,  requiring  nothing 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  129 

more  than  what  can  reasonably  be  expected  for  the  loss  of  my  time, 
and  the  cost  of  such  ingredients  as  I  shall  be  necessitated  to  procm-e. 

If  the  experiment  is  conformable  to  your  ideas,  and  affords 
satisfactory  produce  to  entitle  me  to  an  engagement  for  the  entire 
work,  I  shall  then  be  ready  to  converse  farther  with  you  upon  the 
subject,  and  afterwards  determine  about  the  price. 

I  remain  with  perfect  Respect,  Sir,  Yoiu-  Ob'd't,  Serv't.  James 
Akin. 

P.S.    Week  after  next  wiU  suit  me.    J.  A." 

As  it  happened  that  neither  Dr.  Spalding  nor  Mr.  Akin 
could  leave  his  business,  the  matter  rested  until  June  when 
Mr.  Akin  wrote  again. 

"  Newburyport,  June  6,  1807.  Sir:  The  business  which  would 
draw  me  to  Portsmouth  can  at  present  be  terminated  without  my 
presence  there,  and  of  course  I  shall  not  (now)  see  you  as  I  con- 
jectured. It  would  be  almost  impossible  to  give  you  a  direct 
answer  respecting  Willan's  Plates.  The  number  of  impressions  to 
be  printed,  ought  first  to  be  known,  and  the  different  plates  in- 
spected as  to  the  quahty  of  the  work  required  to  each.  You 
probably  wiU  be  in  Newburyport  before  a  great  while,  and  as  you 
appear  so  much  pleased  with  my  competent  abilities  as  to  wish 
for  an  answer,  I  give  the  preference  to  an  interview  with  you  upon 
the  subject,  as  a  great  liability  exists  that  our  letters  may  be  multi- 
pUed  without  accompUshing  any  object  for  which  we  should  write. 

The  expensive  and  tedious  process  of  printing  in  colours  could 
not  be  undertaken,  unless  something  of  consequence  was  expected 
from  the  number  to  be  printed  off  each  plate.  I  remain  Very 
Respectfully,  Y'r  Ob'd.,  Serv't,  James  Akin. 

P.S.  The  paper  you  sent  me  can  be  bought  here;  tho'  excellent 
of  its  kind,  it  is  wholly  unfit  for  the  purpose  of  printing  in  Colours." 

Soon  after  the  date  of  this  letter  Mr.  Akin  became  in- 
volved in  a  quarrel  concerning  some  drawings  for  Bow- 
ditch's  "Navigator,"  and  fearing  a  law  suit,  he  decided  to 
leave  Newbury  as  the  following  letter  shows. 

"  Newburyport,  October  27,  1807.  Su-:  I  received  your  box  and 
Plate  when  I  was  in  great  bustle  and  confusion  of  packing  up  and 
selling  my  furniture  in  preparation  for  a  Departure  out  of  this 
Commonwealth,  but  as  I  had  to  print  about  300  impressions  off 
another  Plate,  I  supposed  that  it  would  be  in  my  power  to  strike 
off  a  few  Proofs,  in  colours,  for  you,  and  kept  the  plate  for  that 
purpose  without  saying  anything  to  you  upon  the  subject,  tho'  I 
requested  Dr.  Noyes  to  let  you  know  my  intention,  and  dehvered 
him  your  letter  at  the  time.    It  has,  however,  been  wholly  out  of 


130  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

my  power  to  do  anji^hing  of  the  kind,  because  my  tenancy  expired 
before  I  was  able  to  complete  what  business  I  had  for  some  time 
past  been  engaged  in.  I  therefore,  send  you  back  your  Plate,  as 
I  rec'd  it;  am  very  sorry  that  it  has  not  been  possible  for  me  to 
gratify  yoiu*  wishes. 

WTien  I  arrive  at  the  Southward,  I  shall  be  glad  to  afford  you  all 
the  service  I  can,  if  at  that  distance  I  shall  be  considered  to  suit 
your  purposes.  Upon  a  Review  of  my  calculations  for  what  I 
did  in  the  fu'st  instance,  I  find  a  charge  of  two  dollars  expended 
for  materials  to  experiment  for  you,  which  can  be  paid  to  the 
Bearer  for  me.    And  I  am.  Sir,  Your  Ob'd  Serv't.  James  Akin." 

With  this  third  failure  to  obtain  satisfactory  colored  im- 
pressions Dr.  Spalding  abandoned  Willan's  Plates,  and  all 
that  remains  of  the  American  Edition  as  planned  by  him,  are 
two  very  rare  and  probably  unique  impressions  of  Plate  IX, 
Figs.  1  and  2;  of  Lepra  Alphos,  and  Lepra  Nigricans,  pulled 
from  the  plate  engraved  by  Dr.  Alexander  Anderson.  A 
pale  pinkish  impression  is  the  one  pulled  by  David  Edwin,  a 
dark,  brownish  one  represents  "the  experiment"  made  by 
James  Akin. 

Dr.  Spalding's  reputation  already  established  in  1801  by 
his  vaccination  campaign  had  by  the  year  1807  so  much  in- 
creased that  he  was  now  receiving  many  letters,  only  a  few 
of  which,  however,  can  be  printed  for  lack  of  space.  One 
on  family  affairs  from  his  Brother  Silas  may  here  find  place. 

"Cornish,  Jany.  20,  1807.  Dear  Brother:  I  have  nothmg  par- 
ticular to  write,  but  we  are  all  well  as  usual.  You  wrote  about  our 
coming  down  tliis  winter,  but  it  is  so  far  advanced  and  no  snow, 
that  I  have  sent  my  pork  to  Boston  by  waggon  and  had  returns 
from  it.  It  fetched  me  $20  per  bbl.  and  shall  not  get  another  load 
that  would  pay  for  transport  so  far.  I  talk  of  going  next  week  with 
a  load  of  rye  as  far  as  Amherst  and  exchange  it  for  salt,  if  there 
comes  snow  so  that  I  can  have  a  run  down,  so  far;  Grain  is  plenty 
here,  rye  at  4/,  corn  the  same,  wheat  at  7/6  and  we  hear  it  is  so 
low  in  the  Market  that  it  wont  pay,  for  freight  expenses  are  so 
high.  Money  is  scarce  in  the  Country  with  us.  If  I  could  come 
down  and  fetch  your  town  (up)  or  Portsmouth  could  come  up,  it 
would  be  a  fine  advantage  to  the  country.  But  in  vain  it  is  to 
think  any  such  thing.  Mrs.  Spalding  says  we  must  wait  until 
Next  winter,  and  then  the  children  will  be  older,  so  we  can  leave 
them  better.  I  received  your  letter  which  mentions  your  laying 
in  Nuts  and  Cider.  We  have  plenty  of  both  but  we  must  content 
oiir  Noble  Selves  to  eat  oiu-  own  this  winter.  If  you  love  your 
Marm  and  her  cheeses  too,  if  we  have  a  chance  to  send  one  down 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  131 

we  will.  Step  up  some  morning  Before  Breakfast,  take  Mrs. 
Spalding  by  the  hand  and  see  us.  Send  a  billet,  and  we  will  have  a 
Turkey  for  you  and  ourselves,  too.    Silas  Spalding." 

The  first  letter  of  the  year  from  Dr.  Smith  contains  valu- 
able information  concerning  Dartmouth  and  an  alleged 
murder. 

"  Hanover,  March  12, 1807.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  just  now  received 
your  favor  dated  5th  February;  in  what  corner  of  the  post  office 
it  has  lurked  for  more  than  a  month  I  do  not  know.  I  am,  how- 
ever, glad  to  receive  it  at  this  late  hour.  Respecting  the  Object  of 
the  N.  H.  Medical  Society,^  I  shall  most  cordially  and  zealously 
endeavor  to  promote  it.  I  am  appointed  by  the  Hon'ble  Board  of 
Trust,  for  Dart.  College  to  attend  the  next  Legislature  in  this 
State  on  business  for  the  College,^  which  will  give  me  a  very  favor- 
able opportunity  to  cooperate  with  the  Medical  Society  in  any 
measure  that  wiU  be  conducive  to  the  respectability  of  the  pro- 
fession. Our  last  course  of  lectures  in  this  University  was  a  fortu- 
nate one.  We  had  a  much  larger  audience  than  usual,  and  I  was 
able  to  pay  more  undivided  attention  to  the  business,  so  that  we 
now  stand  on  higher  ground  as  it  respects  the  medical  branch  of 
the  CoUege,  than  we  have  ever  done  at  any  former  period. 

Last  year  you  wrote  me  respecting  republishing  Willan's  Book 
on  Diseases  of  the  Skin,  and  since  that  I  have  heard  no  more  of  it. 
I  should  hke  to  know  what  we  can  expect  respecting  that  work. 

Perhaps  you  may  if  you  take  one  of  the  Walpole  Papers  observe 
a  publication  respecting  the  death  of  Benj.  Fay,  of  Alstead,  who 
was  supposed  to  be  poisoned.*  The  piece  signed  by  my  name  I 
wrote  at  the  request  of  the  friends  of  the  deceased,  but  did  not  put 
my  name  to  it,  but  sent  it  to  them  to  do  as  they  pleased  as  to 

^  The  object  of  the  Society  was  a  Resolution  against  Quackery  ia- 
troduced  by  Dr.  Spalding. 

2  "Business  for  the  College"  means  an  effort  to  obtaia  State  aid  for 
a  Medical  School  building  at  Hanover. 

3  "The  case  of  Dr.  Fay"  deserves  mention,  because  it  is  a  hitherto 
overlooked  episode  in  the  life  of  Dr.  Smith. 

Sometime  in  September,  1806,  Mr.  Fay  died  and  was  buried,  but  as 
rumors  arose  that  he  had  been  poisoned  by  his  Mother-in-Law,  Mrs. 
Margery  Fay,  she  was  arrested  and  the  body  exhumed  for  examination. 
As  most  of  the  physicians  present  were  sure  that  Mr.  Fay  had  been 
poisoned,  they  soon  found  what  they  called  arsenic.  Mrs.  Fay  was 
then  bound  over  for  trial.  Meanwhile,  Dr.  Smith  had  heard  of  the 
case,  and  after  investigating  it,  he  wrote  a  paper,  as  mentioned  in  his 
letter. 

From  an  old  copy  of  Dr.  Smith's  communication  I  note  here  the 
points  which  he  made  against  the  physicians. 

It  was  claimed,  that  the  body  was  found  swollen;   the  pit  of  the 


132  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

publishing  it.  They,  either  ignorantly  or  willfully  mistook  my  in- 
tention as  respects  signing  my  name,  and  put  it  to  the  piece. 

You  will  perceive  that  some  of  the  learned  Faculty  are  pretty 
severely  lashed.  What  effect  it  will  have  or  how  they  wiU  behave 
toward  me,  I  do  not  know,  nor  do  I  much  care,  being  confident  that 
they  merited  the  whole  of  what  they  have  received,  and  more  also, 
as  you  will  see  by  the  history  of  their  conduct.    Since  I  saw  you,  I 

stomach  mortified;  that  the  contents  of  the  stomach  tarnished  a  knife 
blade  and  when  boiled,  revealed  a  metal  ball  resembling  arsenic. 

Dr.  Smith  argued  that  were  people  acquainted  with  the  effects 
of  arsenic,  nothing  could  more  effectually  expose  the  ignorance  and 
folly  of  the  physicians  than  a  bare  recital  of  their  opinions.  But 
as  the  assertions  of  medical  men  frequently  obtain  more  credence 
than  comported  with  the  good  of  society,  he  wishes  to  make  a  few 
observations. 

"That  Fay  died  from  poison  seems  to  have  been  inferred  from  the 
suddenness  of  his  death  though  he  failed  to  exhibit  a  symptom  of 
poisoning.  He  died  in  an  apoplectic  state  without  evacuations,  con- 
vulsions, pain  or  distress,  being  insensible  from  the  moment  he  was 
found  indisposed.  Compare  this  with  the  effects  of  arsenical  poisoning 
which  are,  nausea,  vomiting,  piu-ging,  hiccough,  pain  in  the  stomach, 
convulsions,  twitchings,  sahvation,  asphyxia,  and  death." 

"That  those  eminent  physicians  should  find  a  body  "SWOLLEN" 
eleven  days  after  burial,  should  surprise  none  but  themselves,  as  all 
other  persons  know  it  due  to  nature.  As  to  "Mortification,"  on  the 
pit  of  the  stomach,  how  could  it  have  found  its  way  out  through  the 
integuments  of  the  body,  and  like  a  Night  Mare  have  couched  itself  on 
the  pit  of  the  stomach!  Introduced  into  Court  it  proved  to  be  a  mere 
scab,  the  most  trifling  thing  in  the  world." 

"Then  they  diagnosed  arsenic  from  the  contents  of  the  stomach 
tarnishing  metallic  spoons,  but  the  last  food  the  man  took,  apples, 
bread  and  milk  wUl  tarnish  metals  just  like  arsenic.  Their  last  experi- 
ment with  a  quart  of  the  stomach-contents  exposed  to  a  firey  heat  for 
three  hoiu-s  resulted  in  a  metalUc  substance  in  the  bottom  of  the  red 
hot  kettle,  yet  arsenic  is  so  volatile  that  if  there  had  been  a  poxmd  of 
it  in  the  vessel  it  would  soon  have  been  utterly  dissipated  with  that 
degree  of  heat.  And  after  aU  the  metallic  button  was  more  likely  lead 
than  anything  else." 

"Thus  from  the  fatuity  of  the  Faculty  and  the  credulity  of  others, 
the  whole  country  has  been  alarmed  with  the  rumor  of  a  horrid  murder 
of  which  there  is  no  evidence  at  all.  For  when  the  Report  is  exammed 
by  the  touchstone  of  legal  evidence  it  vanishes  Uke  a  scroll,  leaving  not 
the  least  evidence  that  the  man  was  poisoned." 

"The  case  shows  how  careful.  Judges  should  be,  when  life  and 
character  are  at  stake,  in  giving  credit  to  the  reports  and  testings  of 
the  faculty,  at  least  in  matters  of  opinion  depending  solely  upon  their 
professional  knowledge.     Nathan  Smith." 

As  a  result  of  this  note,  the  woman  was  discharged.  Expert  testi- 
mony of  this  sort,  might  be  made  useful  now  a  days  to  Judges  and 
Juries  alike,  if  only  the  Law  would  permit. 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  133 

have  performed  the  operation  of  Lithotomy,  successfully  on  a 
young  man  in  Marshfield,  Vermont. 
I  am  with  sentiments  of  esteem,  yours  Sincerely,  Nathan  Smith." 

The  following  letters  from  Dr.  Frost  of  Portland  reflect 
Dr.  Spalding's  interest  in  vaccination,  public  schools  and 
baths. 

"Portland,  April  17,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  received  several 
letters  from  you  since  I  last  wrote,  and  among  the  number  one  en- 
closing a  Bill  of  Mortality  for  1806.  It  seems  that  Consumption 
does  not  cease  to  make  its  ravages  in  Portsmouth,  which  certainly 
is  to  be  exceedingly  lamented,  and  proves  the  infant  state  of  the 
healing  Art,  not  only  in  that  malady  but  in  a  variety  of  others. 

Dr.  Barker  is  now  writing  his  observations  on  Consumption, 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  they  may  be  useful  to  the  friends  of  Medical 
Science. 

By  the  by,  I  have  been  sometime  expecting  to  see  your  "Treatise 
on  Cutaneous  Diseases;"  but  have  not  as  yet  had  the  pleasure.  I 
hope  it  won't  be  long  first. 

The  Bills  you  enclosed  to  me,  I  put  into  the  hands  of  your  friend 
Kinsman,  who  told  me  sometime  since  he  had  collected  the  money 
for  them,  all,  and  presume  before  this  you  have  rec'd  it. 

I  was  exceedingly  sorry  that  my  wife's  health  was  such  at  the 
time  Miss  Jackson  was  in  Portland  on  a  visit,  as  to  preclude  her 
paying  that  attention  to  her  we  are  always  happy  to  pay  to  any 
of  your,  or  our  friends.  Dr.  Jackson's  family,  or  friends. 

If  you  have  any  Vaccine  Virus  by  you  at  this  time,  you  will 
much  oblige  me  by  sending  a  little  enclosed  on  a  thread  in  the 
manner  you  did  last  Spring,  as  Mrs.  Frost  wishes  to  have  our 
httle  daughter  vaccinated,  and  when  I  come  your  way,  I  will  call 
and  satisfy  you  for  it. 

With  respect  yours,  etc.,  Wm.  Frost." 

A  week  later  Dr.  Frost  writes  again. 

"  Portland,  April  25.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  made  inquiries  of  two  or 
tliree  of  the  "School  Committee,"  of  this  Town,  relative  to  their 
"Rules  and  Regulations  for  Public  Schools,"  and  I  was  informed 
by  them,  that  they  have  never  seen  any  since  they  belonged  to 
the  Committee,  which  has  been  for  several  years,  but  that  some 
Rules  were  drawn  out  by  Judge  Freeman,^  some  years  ago  which 

1  Judge  Samuel  Freeman  (1742-1831)  was  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able office  holders  ever  known.  For  he  was  Secretary  of  the  Provincial 
Congress,  and  Post  Master  of  Portland  for  Thirty  Years  and  simul- 
taneously Register  and  Judge  of  Probate  and  Clerk  of  Courts  for 
forty-six  years  in  aU.     In  his  younger  days  he  pubUshed  "The  Town 


134  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

have  been  either  lost  or  misplaced,  so  that  they  are  not  to  be 
found. 

Relative  to  the  prices  of  Tickets  at  our  Public  Baths,  I  am  in- 
formed by  the  owner  of  it,  that  they  are  25  cts.  pr.  Ticket  and  no 
cheaper  if  you  purchase  pr.  the  Dozen.  But,  the  tickets  by  the 
Season,  are  $5  to  go  in  as  often  as  you  please  until  winter  com- 
mences, when  they  are  not  in  operation.  Your  Friend  and  Serv't., 
Wm.  Frost." 

Another  correspondent  of  this  year  was  Dr.  Luther 
Jewett  (1772-1860)  who  had  a  remarkable  career.  Gradu- 
ating from  Dartmouth  in  1795  he  practiced  medicine  several 
years,  abandoned  medicine  for  the  Law  and  was  a  Judge  in 
the  Vermont  Courts  and  Member  of  Congress.  He  retired 
from  the  Law  to  the  Pulpit,  preached  eloquently  for  years, 
and  finally  became  the  Editor  of  a  newspaper  in  St.  Johns- 
bury,  Vermont.  It  is  given  to  but  few  men  to  be  successful 
in  four  professions  as  was  Dr.  Jewett.  He  writes  to  this 
effect : 

"  St.  Johnsbury,  April  30,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  I  acknowledge  with 
gratitude  the  favor  you  have  done  me  for  several  years  past  by 
sending  me  your  Bill  of  Mortality  for  Portsmouth.  Should  you 
continue  (to)  publish,  you  will  greatly  oblige  me  by  continuing  to 
me.  I  have  reason  in  addition  to  my  wish  to  return  my  acknowl- 
edgments for  writing  this.  I  want  to  learn  your  opmion  respect- 
ing the  duration  of  the  preventive  power  of  the  Kine  Pock.  No 
person  has  treated  with  more  levity  than  I,  the  opinion  maintained 
by  some,  that  it  will  prevent  the  small  pox  for  a  time,  but  that  its 
preventive  power  will  diminish  by  time  and  become  extinct.  I 
have  inoculated  several  hundred  in  the  course  of  seven  years  past. 
Many  have  been  tested  satisfactorily.  I  have  lately  been  inocu- 
lating with  the  variolus  virus.  Among  a  considerable  number  of 
Kine  Pock  patients  who  have  repaired  to  the  Hospital  to  test  them- 
selves with  the  small  pox,  a  few  who  had  the  kine  pock  some  years 
since,  had  arms  as  sore  as  is  usual  with  S.  Pox  patients;  swelling 
and  soreness  of  the  axillary  glands;  pain  in  the  back;  etc.,  but  no 
eruptions  or  none  which  filled.  What  am  I  to  think  of  this  busi- 
ness? Did  these  persons  have  tlie  genuine  K.P?  Would  their 
systems  have  been  equally  affected  had  they  been  tested  years 
ago?  Would  they  now,  if  not  tested  till  years  hence?  Your 
answer  as  speedily  as  convenient  will  much  oblige, 

Dear  Sir,  Your  Friend,  L.  Jewett." 

Officer"  one  of  the  earliest  books  printed  in  Portland,  and  in  his  old 
age  he  edited  Parson  Smith's  "Journal  of  Events  in  Portland  in  the 
XVIII  Century." 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  135 

Mention  has  already  been  made  of  the  difficulties  of  col- 
lecting bills  in  Portland,  and  here  are  similar  instances  occur- 
ring in  Bath.  The  lawyer  to  whom  the  bills  were  handed, 
Nathaniel  Coffin  (1781-1864),  was  a  friend  of  Dr.  Spalding 
at  Dartmouth,  and  a  successful  criminal  lawyer  in  Maine. 
His  home  in  Wiscasset,  where  he  practiced  for  a  while,  was 
much  frequented  by  young  people  and  so  many  engagements 
resulted  from  meetings  there,  that  it  was  called  "The  Match 
Factory."  Mr.  Coffin  moved  westward  and  acted  as  Treas- 
urer of  Watauga  College  in  Illinois,  where  he  died. 

The  following  letters  from  him  explain  themselves. 

"Bath,  July  15,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  I  acknowledged  the  rec't  of 
your  Demand  received  some  time  ago,  in  a  letter  by  a  gentleman 
from  this  town.  I  then  informed  you  that  Melcher  was  at  sea  in 
a  Schooner,  and  that  the  vessel  was  cast  away  near  Liverpool,  and 
that  he  and  others  were  discharged,  since  when,  nobody  here  has 
seen  him. 

Captain  Trefethen  was  also  at  sea  when  I  rec'd  your  account 
against  him  and  is  still  but  is  daily  expected.  When  he  comes  he 
will  call  or  remit.    He,  no  doubt,  will  pay  first  call. 

Your  Friend,  etc.,  N.  Coffin." 

Later  on,  Mr.  Coffin  discovered  a  mistake  concerning  this 
payment  and  wrote  again. 

"Bath,  Dec'r.  15,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  Capt.  Henry  Trefethen  of 
this  place  has  lately  arrived  and  I  have  shown  him  your  account. 
He  says  you  must  have  mistaken  the  person.  He  says  he  Uved 
with  his  family  in  Portsmouth,  but  that  Dr.  Cutter  was  their 
physician.  He  Says  another  Captain  Henry  Trefethen,  an  old 
gentleman  also  lived  there,  and  also  that  a  son  of  the  Old  Gentle- 
man, a  THIRD  Capt.  H.  T.,  who  hved  at  Monhegan  was  fre- 
quently at  Portsmouth  and  your  bill  might  be  against  one  of  them. 
If  our  Trefethen  is  not  the  man,  as  I  am  induced  to  beheve  he  is 
not,  by  this  statement  and  the  confidence  I  have  in  him,  I  cannot 
render  you  any  service  in  this  particular.  You  will  please  write 
me,  if  you  still  think  him  the  person  and  mention  some  circum- 
stances respecting  the  place,  sickness,  etc.,  which  may  serve  to 
convince  him,  as,  if  he  can  be  satisfied  the  services  were  for  him, 
or  his  family,  he  will  readily  pay.    Your  Friend,  etc.,  N.  Coffin." 

"Who  would  have  thought  that  there  were  Three  Henry 
Trefethens  and  all  Sea  Captains,"  Dr.  Spalding  may  have 
said  as  he  read  Mr.  Coffin's  note,  and  we  can  sympathize 
with  him  with  his  bill  unpaid  for  lack  of  identification. 


136  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

As  the  use  of  scabs  for  vaccination  increased,  physicians 
tested  their  value  and  a  letter  from  Dr.  Waterhouse  bearing 
upon  this  topic,  at  that  time  of  much  medical  importance 
may  here  find  a  place. 

"  Cambridge,  July  22, 1807.  Dear  Sir :  I  thank  you  for  your  com- 
munication respecting  the  long  life  of  the  scab.  I  have  found  the 
scab  to  communicate  the  true  disease  Two  Months  after  it  was 
taken  from  the  arm.  It  seems  to  be  the  Christalline  state  of  the 
matter,  but  I  have  thought  or  CONCEITED  that  it  occasioned 
more  infiamation  in  the  pustule  produced.  I  would  thank  you  to 
send  me  some  of  the  matter  on  a  quill  enclosed  in  a  letter,  that  has 
been  produced  by  the  scab  in  question.  I  should  like  to  compare 
it  vnth  some  taken  at  the  usual  period.  I  am  in  the  habit  of  pre- 
ser\dng  scabs,  but  I  never  use  them  when  I  can  obtain  other  fresh 
limpid  matter.  If  you  could  send  me  a  couple  of  quills  by  the  re- 
turn of  post,  you  will  oblige,  Y'r  F'd  and  Humble  Serv't.,  Benj. 
Waterhouse." 

When  the  Dartmouth  Commencement  of  1807  approached, 
Dr.  Spalding  was  in  the  following  way  reminded  by  his  old 
friend  William  Woodward,  the  College  Treasurer,  of  a 
former  promise. 

Hanover,  Aug.  9,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  You  will  recall  the  engage- 
ment you  entered  into  last  Fall  that  you  would  by  some  means 
procure  the  attendance  of  Governor  Langdon,  at  our  next  Com- 
mencement, should  we  give  liim  a  handsome  election.  The  Con- 
dition is  performed,  and  I  hope  you  will  not  cease  from  your  ex- 
ertions to  persuade  him  to  attend.  He  will  be  cordially  received 
and  welcomed  and  his  journey,  so  far  as  depends  on  his  visit  at 
Hanover,  will,  I  presume,  be  rendered  pleasant  to  him.  You  must 
not  fail.  Can  you  not  perform  the  journey  at  the  same  time? 
We  cannot  at  such  a  season  on  account  of  engagedness  promise 
anything  better  to  our  friends  than  a  license  to  do  very  much  as 
they  please,  which  to  one  so  much  at  home  as  you  are  at  Hanover, 
will  be  all  that  would  be  insisted  on.  Y'r  Friend  and  H'BTe 
Serv't.,  Wm.  H.  Woodward. 

Governor  Langdon  had  just  been  elected  for  the  sixth  or 
seventh  time,  but  Dartmouth  Histories  do  not  tell  us  that 
he  accepted  this  invitation. 

Amongst  the  friends  to  whom  Bills  of  Mortality  were 
sent  this  year  was  Mr.  Benjamin  Dearborn  of  Boston,  who, 
in  1780,  when  living  in  Portsmouth,  had  founded  the  First 
Grammar  School  for  Girls,  later  on  an  Academy  for  Misses, 
and  finally  a  Dancing  Academy  for  Youths.    He  was  an 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  137 

ingenious  man;  invented  scales  and  a  printing  press;  and 
finally  moved  to  Boston.  He  collected  statistics  of  people 
who  were  struck  by  lightning  when  near  open  windows  or 
doors  during  thunder  showers,  and  issued  a  Circular  con- 
cerning this  topic.  Mr.  Dearborn  is  connected  with  the 
medical  History  of  Boston,  very  intimately,  as  he  left  funds 
for  the  establishment  of  the  Boston  Dispensary. 

After  receiving  a  Bill  of  Mortality  Mr.  Dearborn  wrote 
to  this  effect,  on  the  overleaf  of  one  of  his  Lightning-Cir- 
culars. 

"Boston,  3rd.  Sept.  1807.  My  dear  Sir:  Judging  from  your 
voluntary  labors  in  collecting  the  facts  for  publishing  Bills  of  Mor- 
tality, I  conclude  that  you  receive  gratification  from  being  pre- 
sented with  an  opportunity  of  furnishing  useful  information.  On 
this  ground  I  take  the  Uberty  of  addressing  the  enclosed  Circular 
to  you,  with  the  hope  that  it  will  not  be  unacceptable.  During  my 
residence  in  Portsmouth,  the  following  instances  of  injury  by 
lightning  occurred;  Deacon  Lane  of  Stratham,  struck  dead  at  an 
open  door;  A  woman  at  the  North  End  (in  Portsmouth)  struck 
dead  at  an  open  window;  if  I  mistake  not,  her  name  was  Clark; 
Mr.  John  Melcher's  wife,  in  a  room  at  her  uncle  Samuel  Hill's, 
where  a  window  was  open,  deprived  her  of  her  eyesight,  aad  con- 
tinued blind  for  some  weeks ;  The  house  now  owned  by  Mr.  Chaun- 
cey  (then  Col.  Long's)  struck  while  closed,  when  the  lightning 
passed  into  the  cellar  doing  but  little  injury.  If  it  should  please 
you  to  collect  the  minute  particulars  of  those  events  with  any 
others  within  your  knowledge,  and  coramunicate  them,  it  may  be 
productive  of  good  and  will  be  a  gratification  to 

Sir,  Yours  very  Respectfully,  Benjamin  Dearborn." 

Dr.  Spalding  in  due  season  called  public  attention  to  this 
circular  and  mentioned  a  case  of  Ptosis  (paralysis  of  the 
upper  eyelid)  caused  by  a  stroke  of  lightning  when  a  woman 
was  standing  at  an  open  window,  and  which  was  cured  by 
using  galvanism. 

A  few  days  later  came  this  interesting  letter  from  Dr. 
Smith  on  medical  and  surgical  topics. 

"  Hanover,  Sept'r  13,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  Respecting  extracting  the 
cataract  on  the  right  eye,  I  have  performed  once  only  on  that  eye. 
I  stood  behind  the  patient  and  introduced  the  knife  in  the  usual 
manner  excepting  the  edge  was  turned  in  an  opposite  direction,  so 
as  to  cut  the  flap  upward,  which  is  preferable  to  cutting  it  down- 
ward, as  the  cicatrix  is  apt  to  produce  some  obstruction  to  vision 
in  looking  down  on  the  ground,  which  is  more  necessary  for  all  but 


138  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Dhdnes,  than  looking  upward.  I  should  prefer  the  method  I  have 
pointed  out  to  either  of  the  methods  you  propose. 

My  pupilage  fees  are  as  usual  $66  66/100,  per  year;  $40  for  one 
course  of  lecture  only. 

I  hardly  know  how  to  advise  in  your  Case.  I  am  inchned, 
however,  that  it  is  a  case  of  morbid  excitement  of  the  blood  vessels 
of  the  head.  Should  think  that  those  remedies  which  diminish 
morbid  excitement  would  be  proper.  I  have  succeeded  in  several 
Cases  of  irregular  action  of  the  heart  and  arteries  with  opium  and 
white  -^dtriol.  I  give  a  grain  of  opium  with  a  grain  of  the  Vitriol 
night  and  morning,  varying  the  dose  and  proportions  of  the  medi- 
cines according  to  circumstances.  Fowler's  Mineral  Solution  has 
been  recommended  for  nervous  headache,  but  I  do  not  know  that 
there  is  much  similarity  between  the  cause  of  your  complaint  and 
that  of  nervous  headache  or  at  least  I  do  not  know  that  the  analogy 
is  such  as  to  warrant  the  use  of  so  formidable  a  remedy.  The 
opium  when  given  to  overcome  diseased  action  should  be  con- 
tinued at  such  intervals  as  to  keep  the  system  under  the  impression 
of  it  for  a  great  many  days.  I  speak  of  Chronic  disease.  I  have 
sent  you  some  blood  root;  all  I  can  find  time  to  write  respecting 
it  at  present  is,  that  it  possesses  all  the  properties  of  other  emetics 
^\ath  some  peculiar  to  itself.  When  given  in  doses  of  several  grains 
it  pukes  and  produces  a  great  prostration  of  strength;  more  than 
most  other  emetics,  perhaps  nearly  as  much  as  Tobacco,  or  Fox- 
glove, tho'  I  do  not  think  it  so  dangerous  in  overdoses  as  either  of 
those  I  have  mentioned.  I  give  it  in  Powder,  in  tinctures  and  in 
simple  watery  infusions,  and  where  I  do  not  wish  to  have  it  prove 
emetic,  often  combine  opium  with  it.  I  repeat  the  dose  three  or 
four  times  each  day.  In  Inflammatory  rhemnatism  I  give  it  so  as  to 
puke,  and  repeat  it  once  or  twice  a  day,  for  sometimes  it  has  proved 
very  useful  in  that  disease.  I  have  lately  had  three  successful 
operations  on  blind  patients;  two  were  cataracts  and  the  third 
had  closure  of  the  pupil  which  I  opened  with  the  couching  needle, 
after  several  attempts,  so  as  to  give  pretty  perfect  vision. 

I  am  with  high  Esteem,  yours,  Most  Sincerely,  Nathan  Smith." 

In  the  following  note  from  Dr.  Noyes,  we  get  a  glimpse 
of  the  skeleton  which  Dr.  Smith  brought  from  Europe  for 
Dr.  Spalding. 

"  Newburyport,  Sept.  15th,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  I  now  hasten  to 
comply  with  your  request  by  taking  the  first  opportunity  of  water- 
carriage  to  return  j^our  skeleton.  I  ought  also  to  embrace  the 
same  opportunity  of  offering  an  apology  for  retaining  it  so  long. 
I  kept  it  a  long  while  in  hope  of  carrying  it  to  Portsmouth  myself, 
but  at  length  discouraged  and  ashamed  I  determined  last  Spring 
to  return  it  by  Capt.  Noyes.    But,  alas!    the  frailty  of  human 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  139 

nature.  I  was  once  more  tempted  to  trespass  on  your  forbearance 
and  I  yielded  to  the  temptation!!!  In  short,  my  friend,  a  young 
gentleman  from  Cambridge  applied  to  me  for  tuition,  and  I,  after 
a  few  maiden  difficulties  yielded  to  his  solicitations,  and  concluded 
to  retain  your  Skeleton  a  few  months  longer.  I  am,  however, 
arrested  in  the  middle  of  my  flight,  and,  stripped  of  my  borrowed 
plumage,  stand  exposed  a  naked  Daw.  However,  this  mishap  is 
owing  to  no  fault  of  yours,  and  therefore  I  shall  not  deprive  you  of 
my  hearty  thanks  for  the  long  loan  in  which  you  have  indulged  me. 
I  shall  enclose  in  the  box  with  the  skeleton,  your  "Willan,"  for  the 
perusal  of  which  also  accept  my  thanks.  This  too  I  should  have 
returned  sooner,  had  I  not  apprehended  that  it  might  be  wanted 
by  Akin.  I  sincerely  congratulate  you  on  your  success  in  couch- 
ing, and  hope  that  the  other  cases  which  you  have  engaged  will 
prove  equally  fortunate.  Is  the  Influenza  pretty  general  and 
severe  in  Portsmouth?  It  has  occasioned  one  death  here;  that 
of  a  lady  more  than  ninety  years  of  age.  When  combined  with 
Cholera  Infantum  it  has  been  alarming.  But  children  have  not, 
I  believe,  been  so  generally  affected  as  adults.  Your  Friend  and 
Humble  Serv't.,  N.  Notes." 

Lord's  "History  of  Dartmouth  College"  has  much  to  say 
of  Dr.  Cyrus  Perkins  (1778-1844)  who  was  graduated  from 
that  College  both  Academically  (1800)  and  Medically 
(1802),  practiced  in  Boston  and  in  Hanover,  was  Professor 
of  Anatomy  and  Surgery  in  the  Dartmouth  Medical  School, 
and  contributed  many  papers  to  the  medical  magazines  of 
the  day.  When  New  Hampshire  politicians  quarrelled  with 
the  College,  and  established  Dartmouth  University,  Dr. 
Perkins  "went  over"  to  the  new  Institution,  but  when  de- 
feated by  Webster,  he  resigned  his  new  Professorship, 
practiced  in  New  York,  and  finally  retired  to  Staten  Island 
where  he  died. 

Two  brief  letters  from  this  interesting  medical  character 
may  here  be  printed,  as  showing  his  friendship  for  Dr. 
Spalding. 

"  Boston,  June  25,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  sent  to  Troy  for  the 
first  volume  of  Bell.^  I  was  out  of  town  on  receipt  of  your  other 
letters  but  Dr.  J.  C.  Warren  told  me  he  sent  you  the  Cowpox  virus. 
In  great  haste,  Y'r  Friend,  and  H.  0.  Serv't,  Cyrus  Perkins," 

"Boston,  Oct.  7,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  I  send  you  with  this,  your 
Wig,  fashioned  as  near  as  it  can  be  done  according  to  your  direc- 

1  The  "Bell"  was  a  book  on  Surgery  by  John  BeU  and  "H."  "O." 
stands  for  "Humble  Obedient." 


140  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

ions.  Mr.  Rogers  the  Wigmaker  says  the  temples  will  gradually 
recede  from  each  other  by  wearing.  The  other  faults,  he  says  are 
remedied,  as  he  beUeves.  I  send  also  the  Vol.  of  Bell  in  sheets,  as 
you  directed.  I  obtained  it  from  Troy,  N.  Y.,  for  which  I  have 
paid  THREE  Dols,  to  Thomas  and  Andrews  who  sent  for  it.  We 
have  no  news  of  moment  —  Distressingly  healthy  — .  Yours  Cor- 
dially, Cyrus  Perkins. 

P.S.  The  pocket  book  I  lost  (but  found  again)  at  Dover,  con- 
tained 98  Dols,  only,  instead  of  some  Thousands  as  reported.  I 
had  several  NOTES,  inside  to  the  amount  of  $3  or  4  Thousand. 
So  much  for  a  Story!!! " 

Next  we  have  a  brief  note  from  Dr.  Jeremiah  Barker 
formerly  of  Gorham,  Maine,  but  now  of  Portland,  at  what  is 
now  called  Stroudwater. 

"  October  17,  1807.  Dear  Sir:  I  take  the  liberty  to  introduce  to 
you  Mr.  Hubbard,^  requesting  that  you  would  favour  me  with  a 
httle  Cow  Pox  matter  or  inform  him  where  it  can  be  procured.  I 
have  taken  up  my  residence  in  Portland,  where  I  pursue  the  study 
and  practice  of  medicine,  and  devote  a  part  of  my  time  to  writing 
medical  history.  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  when  con- 
venient. I  hear  that  you  do  well,  and  hope  you  will  continue  to 
alleviate  human  misery,  to  your  temporal  advantage,  at  least. 
Yours  in  Sincerity,  J.  Barker." 

Following  this  is  a  similar  inquiry  from  Dr.  Samuel  Foster 
(1789-1826)  of  Candia,  New  Hampshire,  who  occupied  many- 
positions  of  trust  in  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society. 

"  Candia,  Nov.  17, 1807.  Dear  Sir:  Several  years  ago  I  procured 
some  cow  pox  matter  and  inoculated  some  of  my  children,  and  I 
presume  they  had  the  genuine  disease.  Since  then  I  have  had 
more  vaccine  and  inoculated  others  of  my  family,  and  a  few  other 
persons.  The  unbelief  of  the  major  part  of  the  people  in  this 
vicinity  has  prevented  my  keeping  matter  by  successions  of  vacci- 
nations to  this  time.  I  have  now  two  children,  and  some  friends 
to  inoculate.  These,  are,  therefore  to  request  you  to  send  me  by 
bearer,  some  cow  pox  virus,  and  if  you  have  leisure,  to  write  me  a 
line,  delineating  your  manner  of  inoculation  and  any  other  things 
necessarily  connected  therewith,  you  will  much  oblige,  Your  Friend, 
Samuel  Foster." 

The  Diaries  of  Dr.  Spalding  quoted  in  the  early  portion 
of  this  work  show  him  riding  on  horseback  on  the  roads  of 

'  Mr.  Hubbard  is  Dr.  O.  Hubbard  from  whom  some  capital  letters 
ehaU  soon  appear. 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  141 

Vermont  and  New  Hampshire,  and  we  have  reason  to  believe 
that  he  had  good  knowledge  of  their  wretched  condition. 
As  the  agitation  for  their  improvement  was  now  becoming 
acute,  he  headed  a  petition  from  Portsmouth  for  a  Post 
Road  through  New  Hampshire  and  sent  it,  to  his  personal 
friends,  the  Senator  and  Members  of  Congress  now  in  Wash- 
ington, General  Storer;^  Mr.  D.  M.  Durrell;^  and  Mr. 
Francis  Gardner.^ 

Of  the  replies  of  these  friends  in  Congress,  three  notes 
from  General  Storer  will  give  an  idea  of  them  all. 

"  Washington  City,  4th  Nov.  1807.  Dear  Sir:  You  will  perceive 
by  the  "National  Intelligencer"  enclosed,  that  your  Petition  re- 
specting a  Post  Road  to  Concord,  is  before  the  proper  Committee. 
Be  assured  that  I  shall  attend  to  it  in  every  stage.  .  .  .  We  are 
anxiously  waiting  the  issue  of  European  negotiations,  and  of  course 
have  not  yet  entered  on  the  most  important  Concerns  of  the  Nation. 
Your  Ob'd't  Servant,  Clement  Storer." 

Writing  again  on  the  26th,  he  adds: 

"Mr.  Gardner  and  myself  call  on  the  proper  Committee  to- 
morrow, for  the  purpose  of  urging  the  expediency  of  a  Post  Road 
embracing  the  whole  route  from  Portsmouth  to  Charlestown,  via 
Concord,  HUlsboro',  etc.  There  is  no  doubt  we  shall  succeed." 
With  Esteem,  Clement  Storee." 

And  finishing  up  the  subject  in  January  of  1808  he  says: 

"I  am  sorry  that  your  anxiety  is  so  much  excited  for  the  fate  of 
our  Post  Road.  I  think  that  my  last  report  was  encouraging. 
The  Committee  agreed  to  our  request  more  than  a  month  since, 
and  a  General  Bill  is  preparing,  embracing  our  object  and  many 

1  Clement  Storer  (1769-1830)  was  a  merchant  on  the  Pier  Wharf 
in  Portsmouth,  very  much  of  a  politician,  having  served  as  Member  of 
Congress  and  Senator,  very  stately  in  his  fashionably  cut  suit  of  blue 
clothes,  and  very  grand  on  horseback  as  General  of  the  Militia  of  the 
State. 

2  Daniel  Meserve  Durrell  (1770-1841)  was  a  friend  at  Dartmouth, 
and  now  residing  in  Dover.  He  was  in  succession,  Member  of  Congress, 
District  Attorney,  Judge  of  Common  Pleas,  and  a  successful  lobbyist. 

3  Francis  Gardner  (1738-1814)  was  the  Grand  Old  Man  of  New 
Hampshire  Politics,  at  this  time.  He  had  been  graduated  at  Harvard 
as  far  back  as  1758,  and  in  all  he  preached  the  Gospel  for  fifty  years. 
He  was  elected  to  Congress  in  his  68th  year,  when  XXth  Centm"y  men 
should  long  be  dead,  but  students  of  the  proceedings  of  Congress  in 
those  days  will  find  Mr.  Gardner  a  clever  orator  and  keen  debater. 
Having  fought  the  Devil  so  long,  he  was  not  afraid  of  War  with  Eng- 
land now  looming  large  in  Washington. 


142  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

others.    It  will  take  considerable  time  to  get  it  through.    I  hope  it 
will  not  be  embargoed  on  the  passage. 

Accept  the  assm-ance  of  my  respect  and  esteem.  Clement 
Stoeek." 

We  are  glad  to  learn  that  Dr.  Spalding's  petition,  with 
others,  produced  the  passage  of  a  Law  for  Post  Roads 
throughout  New  England. 

The  Christmas  letter  from  Silas  Spalding  suggests  that 
Dr.  Spalding  had  failed  to  get  satisfaction  from  a  Cornish 
cow  driven  to  Portsmouth. 

"Dear  Brother:  I  set  down  to  inform  you  that  we  are  all  well  as 
usual,  likewise  the  rest  of  your  friends  in  these  parts.  As  for  some 
questions  you  wrote  in  your  last  letter  about,  I  am  not  able  at  tliis 
present  time  to  give  an  answer.  About  the  cow,  I  never  saw  her. 
I  have  seen  Mr.  York  since,  and  all  that  he  could  tell,  was  that 
she  was  a  good  cow  for  milk.  How  much  she  gave  at  the  times 
you  wished  to  know,  he  could  not  tell.  So  I  cant  inform  you  any- 
thing for  certainty  about  her,  but  if  you  dont  like  her,  perhaps  by 
next  summer  or  Fall  I  can  suit  you  better.  Money  in  this  part  is 
very  scarce,  produce  of  all  kinds  low,  not  hardly  worth  carrying  so 
far  to  market  so  as  to  get  only  six  cents  for  pork  and  beef.  Very 
low,  also,  is  butter,  and  cheese:  likewise  there  is  strong  talk  of 
war,  here,  so  that  our  Merchants  won't  give  anything  for  produce. 
It  is  bad  for  those  that  owe,  at  this  time,  as  nothing  commands  the 
Money  with  us  except  at  a  low  rate  and  people  are  not  wUHng  to 
sell.  They  are  waiting  for  better  times.  They  think  this  War 
Talk  is  a  Merchant's  plan,  so  as  to  get  all  kinds  of  produce  low  this 
year,  as  most  certainly  they  will.  .  .  .  Tell  Mrs.  Spalding  I  have 
a  fine  turkey  for  Christmas.  Tell  her  to  come  and  take  supper, 
for  there  is  no  snow  here  at  present,  so  that  we  cant  come  there. 
Silas  Spalding. 

December  16,  1807  —  N.B.  I  did  not  put  Cornish  to  the  Date, 
and  so,  I  think  I  shant." 

Dr.  Smith's  opening  letter  for  1808  tells  us  of  his  Legis- 
lative campaign  against  quackery  started  in  the  previous 
year  before  the  State  Medical  Society  by  Dr.  Spalding. 

"Hanover,  Jan'y.  24,  1808.  Dear  Sir:  Mr.  Will'm  Graves ^  an 
honest  and  worthy  young  man  who  has  been  some  time  in  the 

1  Dr.  William  Graves  practiced  in  Epping,  New  Hampshire.  The 
Records  of  the  State  Medical  Society  show  that  he  was  once  repri- 
manded by  the  President  for  going  to  a  consultation  three  hours  before 
the  time  appointed,  and  doing  his  best  to  "steal"  the  case  from  the 
other  doctor. 

\ 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  143 

study  of  medicine  with  me,  will  hand  you  this.  I  wish  you  to  in- 
form him  (or  write  me  on  the  subject)  when  the  next  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society  will  be  holden,  and 
where,  I  have  an  intention  to  attend  if  possible.  I  intend  to  renew 
the  effort  to  obtain  an  Act  of  Legislature  to  discourage  quackery. 
You  know  I  am  not  easily  beat  down  in  my  projects,  and  tho' 
sometimes  slow  in  execution,  yet  keep  the  object  in  view.  The 
business  was  not  properly  managed  this  year.  I  was  out  of  town 
when  the  question  was  tried,  and  I  am  confident  that  more  than 
half  of  the  members  did  not  understand  the  matter.  Several  of 
the  members  have  solicited  me  to  renew  the  application.  I  shall 
attend  the  Court  solely  on  medical  purposes  at  their  next  session; 
I  am  with  sentiments  of  esteem,  Yours  Sincerely,  Nathan  Smith." 

When  Dr.  Spalding  was  a  student  at  Harvard  he  made  the 
acquaintance  of  Dr.  John  C.  Warren,  and  various  letters  in 
their  correspondence  show  a  life  long  friendship.  Here  is  a 
scrap  of  paper  undated. 

"As  I  was  prevented  from  awaiting  your  return  to  see  me,  I 
write  to  tell  you  that  I  am  very  desirous  of  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you 
before  you  leave  town.  Therefore,  I  will  ask  you  the  favor  to  meet 
me  at  White's  Apothecary  Shop  at  1/2  past  One.  The  place  I 
have  mentioned,  I  have  particular  reasons  for  fixing  on,  as  you  will 
discover  there.    J.  C.  Warren."^ 

After  editing  the  Massachusetts  Pharmacopoeia,  Dr. 
Warren  sent  a  Presentation  Copy  to  his  friend  in  Ports- 
mouth, and  with  it  this  note. 

"Boston,  Feb.  12,  1808.  Dear  Sir:  Your  distinguished  attention 
to  medical  science  has  induced  me  to  beg  the  favor  of  your  accept- 
ing a  copy  of  the  Massachusetts  Pharmacopeia.  Should  you,  on 
examination,  be  pleased  with  it,  you  may  think  proper  to  make 
it  known  to  your  booksellers  in  Portsmouth  that  its  usefulness  may 
be  extended. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  esteem,  your  H'mble  Serv't.  John 
C.  Warren." 

1  Dr.  John  Collins  Warren  (1778-1856)  the  writer  of  this  note,  the 
subject  of  which  we  should  be  glad  to  discover,  went  abroad  soon  after 
graduating  from  Harvard,  and  returning  in  1802  took  up  his  Father's 
practice,  and  was  for  years  the  leader  in  Boston  Surgery.  He  helped 
to  bring  the  Medical  School  from  Cambridge  to  Boston,  to  found  the 
Massachusetts  General  Hospital,  and  to  establish  the  New  England 
Medical  and  Surgical  Journal.  He  operated  far  and  wide  over  New 
England  and  practiced  even  into  the  days  of  Ether.  A  hard  worker,  a 
straightforward  writer,  and  a  steady  friend  to  all  of  his  colleagues, 
Warren's  reputation  as  a  great  man  was  deserved. 


144  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

This  very  copy  Dr.  Spalding  not  only  showed  to  book- 
sellers in  Portsmouth,  but  proudly  carried  it  to  the  next 
annual  Meeting  of  the  State  Medical  Society,  where  he 
recommended  it  as  the  best  and  only  standard  for  the  com- 
pounding of  drugs. 

Early  in  February,  1808,  the  country  was  startled  by  the 
news  of  a  meteor  falling  in  Connecticut,  and  Dr.  Spalding 
must  have  written  to  Professor  Silliman  of  New  Haven, 
asking  for  a  fragment,  as  the  appended  letter  suggests.^ 

"Yale  College,  March  4,  1808.  Dear  Sir:  Agreably  to  your 
request  in  the  letter  which  j^ou  have  done  me  the  honor  to  write, 
I  enclose  a  very  small  fragment  of  the  meteor.  You,  as  a  Chemist, 
will  judge  of  its  value  more  from  the  genuineness  than  from  its 
magnitude.  I  regret  that  the  numerous  demands  on  our  small 
collection  do  not  admit  of  more  liberality,  especially  to  one  actuated 
by  a  love  of  science,  and  having  really  a  well  founded  claim  arising 
from  your  former  official  pursuits.  We  have  distributed  most  of 
our  larger  specimens  in  various  parts  of  America,  and  Europe, 
and  we  have  very  few  left  except  such  portions  as  I  send  you. 
The  pamphlets  wliich  you  have  been  so  good  as  to  send  I  have 
not  yet  received,  but  beg  j^ou  to  accept  my  thanks  for  them.  I 
must  apologize  for  my  conciseness  and  haste,  as  I  write  in  momen- 
tary expectation  of  being  interrupted  by  company  from  whom  I 
may  not  be  disengaged  before  the  mail  closes. 

I  am  Sir,  with  the  expression  of  my  respects,  and  all  proper 
acknowledgements  for  the  obhging  things  contained  in  your  letter 
and  in  much  haste,  Your  Very  Obedient  Servant,  B.  Silliman. 

N.B.    One  of  the  pieces  has  a  part  of  the  crust  upon  it." 

The  current  number  of  the  ''Repository"  printed  a  paper 
stating  that  Chester,  Vermont,  was  filled  with  "Swollen 
Necked  Females"  (Goiter).  Although  Dr.  Spalding  was 
familiar  with  the  town,  he  had  never  heard  of  such  cases, 
and  wrote  to  Dr.  Hedge  concerning  them.  Dr.  Hedge  re- 
plied that  of  the  2000  people  of  his  acquaintance,  he  had 
never  seen  a  dozen  cases.  He  mentioned  of  these  a  few  and 
then  continues.     "Tuberculosis  has  got  its  hold  on  me. 

1  Benjamin  Silliman  (1779-1864)  was  graduated  at  Yale  and  studied 
law,  but  soon  decided  that  he  liked  Chemistry  better,  and  that  he 
wanted  to  lecture  on  that  topic  at  his  Alma  Mater.  He  obtained  the 
coveted  Chair  in  1808,  and  lectured  on  Chemistry  everywhere.  People 
flocked  to  hear  him  talk  and  to  witness  his  beautifully  successful  ex- 
periments. He  founded  "The  American  Journal  of  Arts  and  Sciences," 
was  honored  all  over  the  world,  and  deserved  abundantly  his  repu- 
tation as  an  accomplished,  graceful  and  popular  lecturer  and  Chemist, 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  145 

The  only  relief  I  can  get  from  severe  spells  of  coughing  is  to  go 
to  a  Turning  shop  here,  and  exercise  at  the  wheel  until  a 
powerful  perspiration  is  excited,  after  which  I  feel  better 
for  a  while.  Would  a  sea  voyage  do  me  any  good,  do  you 
think?  —  A.  Hedge." 

The  "aneurism"  mentioned  in  the  next  arriving  letter  from 
Dr.  Smith  was  seen  in  consultation  at  Wells,  Maine,  by 
Dr.  Spalding  who  operated  and  wrote  a  detailed  account  of 
the  case.  When  opened,  the  aneurism  was  found  to  contain 
an  organized  blood  clot. 

"Hanover,  April  22,  1808.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  yoiu'  favor  a 
few  days  since  giving  an  account  of  a  very  singular  case  of  an- 
eurism. There  is  one  circumstance  you  neglected  to  mention  and 
that  is :  whether  there  was  a  pulsation  in  the  tumor  previous  to  the 
operation;  if  not,  perhaps  the  circulation  might  have  taken  another 
course,  previous  to  the  application  of  the  tourniquet.  I  should  like 
to  know  the  ultimate  result  of  the  operation.  I  have  determined 
to  attend  the  next  meeting  of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society 
at  Exeter,  where  you  may  expect  to  see  me  if  my  health  continues. 
Mr.  Graves  whom  I  mentioned  to  you  in  a  former  letter  will  hand 
you  this,  and  the  bloodroot  which  he  neglected  or  forgot  before. 
Yours  Sincerely.    Nathan  Smith." 

In  agreement  with  this  letter  Dr.  Smith  went  to  Exeter, 
then  visited  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Spalding  at  Portsmouth,  and  on 
arriving  at  Concord  on  his  way  home  wrote  them  this 
trifle. 

"Concord,  June  22,  1808.  Sir:  When  I  was  at  Portsmouth  I 
lost  or  left  an  umbrella.  Whether  I  took  it  from  the  Chaise  at 
your  house,  and  left  it  there,  or  whether  it  went  with  the  Chaise  to 
the  Stable  I  do  not  know,  I  wish  you  to  inquire  and  if  you  find  it, 
please  to  send  it  to  Solomon,  of  Concord,  to  be  by  him  forwarded 
to  Hanover  to  me.  I  have  proffered  my  petition,  and  have  leave 
to  bring  in  a  Bill,  which  we  have  no  doubt  will  pass.  The  Bill  will 
provide  for  the  building  of  a  Building  60  by  35,  2  stories  high,^ 
which  will  answer  our  purposes  very  well.  I  am,  with  sentiments 
of  esteem  both  for  you  and  Mrs.  Spalding,  your  Friend,  Nathan 
Smith." 

Hardly  had  Dr.  Smith  reached  Hanover  than  he  received 
from  Dr.  Spalding  a  letter  concerning  a  Lay  Reader  for 
St.  John's  Parish. 

1  This  Building  was  the  Medical  School  Building  at  Hanover,  but 
the  money  was  not,  I  think,  at  this  time  obtained. 


146  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Now  I  have  to  insert  his  interesting  answer. 

"July  21,  1808.  Hanover.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your  favor 
respecting  a  suitable  person  to  fill  the  desk  in  St.  John's  Church, 
and  agreably  to  your  request  conferred  with  the  Hon'ble  President 
on  the  subject.  We  agreed  to  recommend  Mr.  Chadbourne,^  whom 
I  conclude  has  before  this  called  on  you  with  the  President's  letter 
in  his  favor.  I  think  Mr.  Chadbourne  is  a  promising  character  and 
wlU  be  more  likely  to  answer  the  expectations  of  your  people  than 
any  young  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance.  I  conclude  his  mind 
has  not  been  tainted  with  the  doctrine  of  Fatahsm.  (alias  Hopkins- 
ism)  .^  I  have  written  Mr.  Chadbourne  asking  him  to  be  sober 
minded  and  of  a  grave  deportment,  zealous  for  the  honour  and 
good  of  the  Church  and  the  cause  of  pure  and  undefiled  religion.  I 
mean  that  reUgion  which  makes  men  happy  here  and  wise  unto 
Salvation  hereafter,  such  as  came  down  from  Heaven,  aforetime. 
If  he  should  prosper  in  good  work,  and,  become  honoured  among 
your  people  I  shall  rejoice  exceedingly.  If  not,  I  shall  be  very 
sorro^'ful.  I  am  greatly  obliged  to  you  for  your  attention  in  pro- 
curing the  books  for  me.  I  have  received  the  2d  Volume;  With 
much  good  will,  Nathan  Smith. 

N.B.  I  was  absent  when  Mr.  Chadbourne  left  this  place,  or  I 
should  have  written  by  him.  I  have  directed  my  letter  to  Mr. 
Chadbourne  at  Portsmouth.  If  he  should  not  be  with  you,  please 
to  give  him  notice  of  it." 

The  following  letter  from  Dr.  Perkins  mentions  two  old 
friends  of  Dr.  Spalding. 

"Boston,  22nd,  1808.  My  Good  Friend:  I  have  made  inquiry 
of  oiir  Uttle  judge,  Dawes,^  concerning  the  property  of  (the  man 
you  mention),  but  the  judge  who  was  acquainted  with  all  the 
circimastances,  in  his  private  life  as  well  as  public  capacity,  in- 
forms me  that  he  died  absolutely  and  Uterally  PENNYLESS!!  and 
that  the  good  old  Doctor  has  been  the  sole  dependence  of  that 
family  for  support  ever  since  they  were  left.    I  should  not  trouble 

1  Isaac  Rollins  Chadbourne  (1787-1855)  was  from  South  Berwick 
and  Kenncbunk,  Maine,  and  had  just  graduated  with  high  honors  at 
Dartmouth.  He  decHned  the  Call,  studied  law  and  practiced  his  pro- 
fession very  keenly  and  untheologically  at  Eastport,  Maine,  the  rest  of 
his  life. 

2  "Hopkinsism"  was  Etemity-and  Damnation-Calvinism,  as  long 
Bince  forgotten  as  its  discoverer,  Samuel  Hopkins  (1721-1803)  who 
flouri.shed  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island. 

2  Judge  Dawes  (1756-1825)  was  at  that  time  on  the  Supreme  Bench 
of  Massachusetts. 


AMERICAN  EDITION  OF  WILLAN  147 

Dr.  Lloyd ^  with  any  interrogations  on  the  subject,  as  probably  it  may 
not  be  a  pleasant  topic  of  conversation  to  the  old  gentleman. 

To  yom-  CHARGE  of  passing  through  Portsmouth  "LIKE  A 
COMET"  or  like  anything  else,  I  plead  not  guilty.  I  have  not 
been  within  forty  miles  of  Portsmouth  since  I  saw  you,  and  know 
no  reason  why  you  should  suspect  it  unless  you  supposed  all  Boston 
was  on  the  way  to  Portland  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  of  course,  I  among 
the  rest. 
I  am  Dear  Sir;  Yours  Cordially,  C.  Perkins." 

1  Dr.  James  Lloyd  (1738-1810)  now  eighty  years  of  age  was  highly 
esteemed  in  Boston.  After  graduating  from  Harvard  he  studied  with 
John  Hunter  and  was  for  years  regarded  as  the  most  skilful  obstetrician 
ia  Boston.  Proud  of  his  skill  in  delivering  women,  he  was  prouder 
still  of  his  abihty  to  drive  the  fastest  and  finest  horses  in  Boston. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Letters  to  Baron  Alibert,  and  the  Bells  in  1808.    Visit  to 
Dartmouth  as  Demonstrator  for  Dr.  Alexander  Ramsay. 

Although  Dr.  Spalding  had  failed  with  his  Edition  of 
Willan,  he  continued  his  studies  in  cutaneous  diseases, 
and  wrote  to  Baron  Alibert  of  Paris,^  well  known  at  this 
time  for  his  "Treatise  on  Diseases  of  the  Skin."  Dr. 
Spalding  may  have  planned  in  this  way  to  estabUsh  a 
foreign  correspondence  and  publish  a  translation  of  the  new 
Treatise. 

"Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire:  United  States.  July  28,  1808. 
Sir:  My  friend,  Mr.  Cazeaux^  has  been  so  polite  as  to  give  me  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  you.  It  is  my  wish.  Sir,  to  establish  a 
medical  correspondence  with  some  Gentleman  of  the  Faculty  in 
Paris,  in  order  that  we  may  be  benefited  by  the  other's  communi- 
cations on  the  Discoveries,  Improvements  and  Reforms  in  Medical 
Science,  which  in  this  country  stand  much  in  need  of  the  older  and 
more  scientific  Countries.  I  enclose  with  this  letter  of  intro- 
duction, some  copies  of  my  Bills  of  Mortahty  for  the  past  eight 
years,  which  is  all  the  numbers  that  have  been  published;  my 
Graduating  Thesis,  a  "Nomenclature  of  Chemistry,"  and  a  News- 
paper containing  a  singular  account  of  the  conversion  of  a  human 
body  into  adipocere.^    Be  pleased  Sir,  to  accept  these,  not  from 

1  Baron  Jean  Louis  Alibert  (1776-1837)  came  from  the  Provinces  to 
Paris  when  very  young,  and  soon  obtained  a  position  in  the  Hospital 
St.  Louis,  where  he  devoted  much  care  to  diseases  of  the  skin.  His  set 
of  magnificent  cutaneous  plates  made  him  well  known,  and  he  became 
Dermatologist  to  Louis  XVIII. 

Alibert  wrote  elegantly  on  tuberculosis  and  leprosy,  but  his  de- 
scriptions were  vague.  As  a  Professor  he  lacked  gravity,  but  with  a 
charming  voice  he  unfolded  picturesque  descriptions  of  disease.  As  a 
clinical  improviser  he  was  unequalled.  He  entertained  profusely:  with 
a  private  Theatre  and  Sunday  Breakfasts,  receiving  his  friends  of  both 
sexes  in  rooms  that  were  gorgeous  with  highly  tinted  butterflies,  hum- 
ming birds,  and  colored  illustrations  of  skin  diseases  intermingled. 

*  Mr.  Cazeaux  was  French  Consul  at  Portsmouth. 

3  The  paper  on  Adipocere  by  Dr.  Spalding  refers  to  the  Case  of  a 
man  who  was  drowned  near  Portsmouth  in  March,  1807.  When  the 
body  was  recovered  in  March,  1808,  it  was  found  to  be  changed  into  a 
substance  resembling  spermaceti. 

148 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  149 

their  intrinsic  merit,  but  from  their  being  all  that  I  have  to  offer 
you,  medically,  at  this  time. 
With  sentiments  of  the  Highest  Esteem.    Lyman  Spalding." 

If  Baron  Alibert  replied,  his  letter  has  been  lost,  but  that 
he  sent  one  of  his  Works  and  that  Dr.  Spalding  began  to 
translate  it,  is  shown  by  some  pages  of  MSS  in  my  possession. 

The  most  interesting  friendship  in  Dr.  Spalding's  career 
was  that  with  Dr.  Alexander  Ramsay  (1754-1824)  one  of 
the  world's  most  famous  anatomists,  who  was  born  in  Edin- 
burgh and  died  in  Parsonsfield,  Maine.  After  obtaining  his 
degree  he  established  a  School  of  Anatomy  in  Edinburgh, 
but  quarrelled  with  his  colleagues  and  came  to  America 
where  he  lectured  in  various  Cities  about  1804.  He  then 
went  back  to  London  and  Edinburgh  and  after  obtaining 
an  honorary  degree  at  St.  Andrew's  in  1805,  (the  diploma 
rests  now  in  the  Maine  Historical  Library  in  Portland),  he 
came  a  second  time  to  America  about  1808.  After  a  while 
he  set  off  again  for  Edinburgh,  and  remained  there  and  in 
Dublin  until  1813,  when  I  find  him  lecturing  on  Anatomy 
and  Natural  History  in  New  York,  and  Charleston,  South 
Carolina.  He  had  previously  established  at  Fryeburg, 
Maine,  a  School  of  Medical  Instruction  from  which  several 
students  were  graduated,  and  which  he  again  continued  from 
this  time  until  his  death.  He  was  a  skilful  anatomist  and 
made  engravings  of  Preparations  with  his  own  hands.  His 
skill  was  wonderful,  but  his  temper  was  venomous,  and  he 
suffered  from  some  personal  deformity  due  to  an  unfortu- 
nate fall  in  childhood.  His  great  medical  idea  was  cold 
affusions  in  Fever,  and,  when  himself  dying  from  typhoid, 
he  insisted  on  the  use  of  such  treatment.  This  eccentric 
man  exercised  much  influence  upon  the  career  of  Dr.  Spald- 
ing as  we  shaU  later  see. 

It  happened  now  that  Dr.  Ramsay,  being  in  America, 
wandered  to  Hanover,  and  was  engaged  by  Dr.  Smith  for  a 
course  of  Anatomical  Lectures.  Knowing  Dr„  Spalding's 
keenness  for  anatomy  Dr.  Smith  wrote  to  him  to  this 
effect. 

"Hanover,  Sept.  22,  1808.  Dear  Sir:  You  will  see  by  the  ad- 
vertisement with  which  I  am  troubling  you,  what  I  am  doing  for 
Dartmouth  College.  I  have,  at  great  expense,  engaged  Dr.  Ramsay 
the  greatest  anatomist  in  the  world  to  give  a  complete  Course  of 
Lectures  on  Anatomy  and  Physiology,  to  instruct  in  the  art  of  dis- 


150  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

secting,  making  anatomical  preparations,  etc.  I  am  very  confident 
that  om-  ensuing  course  will  far  exceed  anything  of  the  kind  before 
attempted  in  New  England,  Therefore,  if  you  have  any  young 
friends  in  the  medical  line  be  so  kind  as  to  send  them  as  soon  as 
possible.  I  wish  you  to  see  the  following  advertisement  pubhshed 
two  weeks  in  your  Portsmouth  paper.  I  shall  be  in  Portsmouth 
this  ^dnter  and  will  then  settle  with  the  printer,  etc.  With  respect, 
yours,  etc.,  Nathan  Smith." 

There  then  follows  on  the  same  sheet  a  long  advertisement 
in  Dr.  Smith's  handwriting  to  the  effect  that  Dr.  Ramsay- 
is  a  wonder,  that  he  will  give  a  Two  months  course;  that  he 
will  bring  from  Fryeburg  his  anatomical  museum  intact; 
that  the  smartest  students  will  be  admitted  to  the  private 
closet  of  Doctors  Smith  and  Ramsay,  as  assistants  in  com- 
pleting a  Museum  for  Dr.  Smith  and  that;  To  the  Gentle- 
man who  shall  produce  the  best  dissections  of  the  Organs  of 
Vision,  Hearing,  Brain  and  Heart,  Dr.  Ramsay  will  bestow 
a  Gold  Medal,  to  be  adjudged  by  Dr.  Smith. 

Dr.  Spalding  inserted  the  advertisement  in  the  papers, 
and  wrote  in  behalf  of  Mr.  Taft,  one  of  his  pupils. 

To  this  Dr.  Smith  replied  as  follows: 

"Hanover,  Oct.  9,  1808.  Dear  Sir:  You  may  inform  Mr.  Taft 
that  Dr.  Ramsay  is  in  my  opinon  the  best  Anatomist  in  the  United 
States.  I  have  seen  his  anatomical  preparations,  and  have  heard 
him  lectiue.  You  may  also  inform  him,  that  Dr.  Ramsay  will  not 
commence  his  Lectures  till  about  the  Tenth  or  Twelfth  of  Nov'r 
next,  and  if  it  should  so  happen  that  a  number  of  students  should 
apply  after  the  lectures  have  advanced  a  few  days,  I  will  engage  that 
they  shall  be  repeated  to  them.  The  whole  of  my  lectures  on 
Surgery  and  Physic  will  be  deUvered  after  the  15th  of  Nov.,  so  that 
should  they  come  at  the  time  you  propose,  they  will  have  the 
benefit  of  the  whole  of  our  course,  except  Chemistry. 

I  wrote  you  before,  that  what  I  had  undertaken  this  year  would 
require  the  assistance  of  all  my  friends,  and  I  must  now  make  one 
more  requisition  on  you.  The  plan  we  have  chalked  out  to  make 
me  a  complete  Museum  will  require  a  number  of  subjects,  there- 
fore, I  wish,  if  possible,  that  you  would  lay  by  a  few  for  me.  An 
infant  with  the  placenta  attached  would  be  very  agreeable.  A 
child  from  six  to  ten  or  from  ten  to  18  would  be  very  useful,  or  an 
adult  subject,  would  not  come  amiss.  If  any  of  this  kind  of  gentry 
can  be  obtained  you  can  preserve  them  very  easily  by  opening  the 
cavities  and  immersing  in  new  rum;  just  turn  down  the  scalp  and 
saw  out  a  piece  of  the  skull  on  one  side,  so  as  to  admit  the  spirit, 
and  so  with  the  other  cavities. 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  151 

I  will  cheerfully  pay  you  for  any  expense  you  may  incur  by  the 
business.  Perhaps  you  can  engage  Dr.  Cutter  and  other  physicians 
who  would  wiUingly  obHge  you  and  me  to  lend  you  some  assistance. 

If  so  that  I  could  obtain  those  things,  I  would  send  to  Portsmouth 
for  that  purpose.  We  shall  want  them  through  Nov.  and  Dec. 
and  January,  as  we  propose  to  drive  a  stroke  of  business  in  that 
line;  and  I  am  with  sentiments  of  Esteem,  and  Respect  your 
Friend,  etc.,  Nathan  Smith." 

A  second  letter  continues  the  topic. 

"Hanover,  Nov'r  8,  1808.  Dear  Sir:  I  rec'd  your  letter  with 
the  specimen  of  Virgin  Sulphur,  which  I  consider  as  very  valuable. 
It  happened  to  arrive  at  the  right  moment  just  as  I  was  treating 
that  subject  before  my  class. 

Dr.  Ramsay  arrived  here  last  week,  and  as  we  had  some  stuff  on 
hand  has  already  made  us  several  very  valuable  preparations.  He 
will  commence  his  Course  on  Thursday  next,  but  will  not  get  much 
engaged  till  the  beginning  of  next  week.  At  any  time  after  that, 
you  cannot  come  amiss  for  your  own  advantage.  Dr.  Ramsay  has 
a  very  extensive  and  useful  collection  of  anatomical  preparations 
which  will  exceed  your  expectations.  You  will  also  be  highly 
pleased  with  his  mode  of  teaching.  If  you  could  so  contrive  as  to 
bring  with  you  a  subject,  it  would  be  very  important  to  us  at  this 
time.  Dr.  Ram'y  makes  the  most  of  everything,  and  it  will  enable 
us  to  make  the  present  course  more  perfect  as  well  as  contribute 
to  our  intended  Museum,  from  which  you  may,  at  some  future 
period  be  supplied  with  such  preparations  as  will  be  important  to 
you.  We  shall  commence  a  new  era  of  anatomy  at  this  time,  and 
after  being  instructed  in  the  best  method  of  dissecting,  and  pre- 
serving preparations,  shall  go  on  improving  our  stock,  and  if  you 
will  contribute  raw  material  we  will,  whenever  we  have  duplicates, 
give  you  them,  in  preference  to  any  other  person.  With  sentiments 
of  esteem,  Your  Friend  Nathan  Smith. 

P.S.  Our  present  No.  of  students  exceed  sixty,  besides  the 
students  of  the  College,  and  we  are  daily  adding  thereto,  such  as 
shall  be  saved." 

Before  this  letter  arrived,  Dr.  Spalding  with  his  two 
scholars,  Mr.  Taft^  and  Mr.  Langdon,^  went  to  Hanover, 

1  Mr.  Charles  Taft  was  a  favorite  scholar  of  Dr.  Spalding's  and  after 
teaching  and  studying  medicine  obtained  his  degree  of  M.B.  from 
Dartmouth  in  1811.  Dartmouth  University,  also  gave  him  a  degree 
of  M.D.  in  1817.  As  we  shall  see  from  his  letters,  he  practiced  in 
Nixonton,  North  Carolina,  and  died  in  1823. 

2  Wilham  Eustis  Langdon  (1793-1826)  was  a  grandson  of  Hon. 
Woodbury  Langdon,  who  built  the  Rockingham  House  at  Portsmouth 
for  the  great  sum,  for  those  days,  of  $30,000  in  gold,  and  also  a  grandson 


152  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

leaving  his  practice  in  the  charge  of  Dr.  James  Harvey 
Pierreponti  (1768-1839). 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Hanover,  Dr.  Spalding  wrote  to 
Dr.  Pierrepont  and  I  now  insert  his  reply. 

"Portsmouth,  Nov.  24,  1808.  Friend  Spalding:  What  an  hyper- 
bolic description  of  the  uncouth  hast  thou  presented  me.^  Is  it 
possible  that  thou  hast  certainly  met  with  this  phenomenon,  so 
humorously,  so  wittily,  and  so  energetically  described?  It  must  be 
so.  You  are  a  scientific  philosopher,  and  will  not  poetically  deviate 
from  natural  laws.  I  am  pleased  that  you  speak  in  terms  so 
meritorious,  and  that  at  present  conjecture,  you  are  gratified  with 
your  journey.  I  observe  that  you  are  a  httle  disposed  to  eke  out 
the  whole  period  of  Lecturing  ^\dth  Dr.  R.,  and  so  I  must  risk  living 
another  season.  Very  well,  I  am  sensible,  friends  must  be  indulged 
sometimes.  Your  patients  have  generally  recovered,  Jeffries  Ex- 
cepted,^ who  is  yet  delhious  and  will  take  notliing.  He  is  really  a 
pitiful  object.  Today  I  think  to  visit  Little  Harbor,  which,  asking 
pardon,  I  had  like  never  to  have  recollected.  Your  customers  do 
not  fatigue  me  very  much.  Your  friend  has  now  two  shares  in  the 
Healing  Art,  and  horrible  to  relate  has  as  much  time  for  worse 
purposes  as  he  pleases.  Our  friend  Dr.  Jackson  has  at  length  paid 
the  great  debt,  expiring  with  that  tranquil  and  placid  temper 
pecuhar  to  him.  He  was  unconscious  of  a  wilful  error,  and  a  man 
feeling  that  kind  of  innocence;  what  has  he  to  dread!  The  ex- 
quisite and  beautiful  description  of  Horace,  of  such  a  man  is  only 
true  and  natural. 

of  the  Hon.  (and  Dr.)  William  Eustis,  Governor  of  Massachusetts  and 
Secretary  of  War.  Dr.  Langdon  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Spalding, 
was  graduated  at  Harvard,  and  practiced  in  Portsmouth.  In  1822  he 
was  appointed  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  Army,  but  soon  retired  owing 
to  poor  health,  and  dying  in  New  York  was  buried  beside  St.  Mark's  in 
the  Bowery. 

Dr.  William  Eustis,  I  may  add,  was  very  intimate  with  Dr.  Spalding, 
and  after  a  consultation  with  him,  when  he  visited  Portsmouth,  officially, 
Dr.  Spalding  reported  "A  Case  of  Floating  Cartilages  in  the  Knee 
.Joint,"  and  mentioned  Dr.  Eustis  as  consultant. 

1  After  graduating  from  Harvard,  Mr.  Pierrepont  hovered  long  be- 
tween Theology  and  Medicine,  but  finally  studied  medicine  with  Dr. 
Marshall  Spring  of  Watertown,  Massachusetts.  He  practiced  first  in 
Eliot,  Maine,  but  moved  to  Portsmouth  in  1801,  where  he  obtained  a 
high  position  in  the  community,  as  an  affable,  urbane,  social,  family 
doctor.  He  loved  medicine,  hated  obstetrics  and  surgery,  and  in  his 
leisure  hours  was  immensely  fond  of  Latin  and  Greek  authors. 

2  "The  Uncouth"  was  a  case  of  transposition  of  the  Thoracic  and 
abdominal  vLscera,  observed  during  a  dissection. 

*  "Jeffries"  was  a  member  of  a  well  known  Portsmouth  Family, 
ater  known  as  the  Jaffreys. 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  153 

We  succeeded  in  obtaining  leave  to  open  the  chest  and  there  we 
discovered  the  Heart  and  its  vessels  in  a  perfectly  healthy  con- 
dition, but  the  lungs  were  most  astonishingly  diseased,  every  part 
of  their  superficies  strongly  adherent,  and  the  internal  structure 
had  assumed  as  much  of  the  schirrous  condition  as  their  nature  is 
susceptible  of.  The  liver  was  pronounced  healthy  by  our  Brothers, 
but  I  believe  thay  have  in  some  measure  forgotten  the  appearance 
of  a  healthy  liver.  ...  Is  it  not  singular  that  such  a  degree  of 
disease  should  estabUsh  itself  with  so  little  pain,  and  with  a  warn- 
ing so  mild  and  unsuspicious?  I  am  now  of  opinion  that  a  chronic 
inflamation  may  exist  in  certain  parts  without  the  sensation  of  pain. 
I  wish  you  to  ponder  on  the  state  of  our  friend.  Please  to  recollect 
all  his  essential  and  evident  symptoms  if  possible,  so  that  when  in  con- 
versation we  may  observe  physiological  laws  as  far  as  possible.  .  .  . 
Please  to  write  soon,  for  I  assure  you  I  feel  some  interest  Lu  our 
friendly  intercourse.    With  Esteem,  James  H.  Pierrepont. 

P.S.  I  am  a  little  interrupted,  or  I  should  have  vexed  you  with 
a  longer  letter  for  I  felt  it  in  me  so  to  do." 

So  many  students  attended  the  Course  given  by  Dr. 
Ramsay,  that  subjects  became  rare  in  spite  of  those  that 
Dr.  Spalding  had  brought  from  Portsmouth  and  he  con- 
sequently wrote  to  ask  the  aid  of  Dr.  Ricketson  in  this 
matter  and  received  from  him  an  amusing  reply:  amusing 
for  its  suggestions  regarding  the  sale  of  his  own  works. 

"New  York,  12  Mo.,  9th,  1808.  Dear  Doctor:  Thine  dated 
Nov'r,  I  rec'd,  but  various  causes  conspired  to  prevent  me  from 
replying  earlier  to  it;  amongst  which  is  a  late  severe  attack  of  the 
Quinsey  from  which  I  have  not  yet  recovered.  I  have  inquired 
for  an  injected  subject,  but  do  not  find  any  to  be  procured  in  this 
City.  I  beheve  there  are  very  few  whole  subjects  prepared  here. 
I  have  also  inquired  for  an  injecting  Apparatus,  but  have  not  found 
any  already  made,  though  I  have  heard  of  a  person  here  who  makes 
them.  I  have  not  heard  of  the  Maker  himseK,  the  price,  but  I 
think  otherwise,  about  120.  Understanding  by  Bache,^  that  in- 
formation on  this  particular  has  gone  forward  to  thee,  I  judge  it 
needless  to  say  more  on  it. 

Not  finding  Jackson  ^  at  Robinson's,  I  shall  probably  send  this 
p'r  mail  with  my  "History  of  Influenza,"  which  is  succinct,  but 
the  sooner  read,  and  therefore  clear,  I  trust,  of  one  of  the  faults  of 
many  publicat's  of  the  present  day. 

1  Bache  was  a  leading  druggist  in  New  York. 

2  John  Jackson,  Dr.  Spalding's  cousin,  was  in  Robinson's  office. 
If  he  happened  to  be  going  to  Portsmouth  for  Chiistmas,  he  could  save 
Dr.  Ricketson  postage  on  his  letter. 


154  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

T  ask  thy  continued  and  renewed  attention  to  promote  the 
diffusion  and  sale  of  my  "Book  on  Health/'  of  which  several 
eminent  Med.  Characters,  have  spoken  favorably,  among  whom  is 
D'r  A.  Fothergill  ^  now  of  Phil'a. 

As  I  published  a  large  Edition  (with  Subscript's)  and  may  pub- 
Hsh  another,  I  wish  the  former  may  be  got  off  of  hand  as  soon  as 
may  be,  and  the  more  I  have  seen  of  Books  and  Bookselling,  the 
more  I  am  convinced  that  their  introduction,  diffusion  and  sale 
depend  much  on  the  exertions  of  Booksellers  and  others  who  may 
take  an  active  and  persever'g  part  in  the  business. 

Smclair's  "Code  of  Health  and  Longevity "^  is  now  pubhshed  in 
4  vols.  8vo,  price  about  $20,  cont'g  much  information  on  the  sub- 
ject, but  all  not  equally  interest'g  or  practical.  It  is  quite  too 
large  and  expensive  for  general  use,  especially  in  this  Country 
where  cheapness  is  one  lead'g  object  in  popular  works. 

The  publication  of  a  new  work  is  announced,  entitled,  "The 
Med.  and  Philosophical  Journal  and  Review,"  by  an  Associat'n  of 
Gentlemen  in  diff't  parts  of  the  United  States,  to  be  printed  in 
semi-annual  nmnbers  by  Sword.' 

I  wish  Thee  to  confer  with  thy  Bookseller,  there,  having  my 
Books,  and  if  not  sold  to  essay  some  new  exertions  for  their  dis- 
posal. Remaining  willingly  to  serve  thee  in  anything  here,  I  am 
thy  Friend,  Sh.  Ricketson." 

As  I  proceed  with  this  book  the  more  diflficult  it  becomes 
for  me  to  imagine  what  my  grandfather  wrote  to  his  cor- 
respondents, and  I  am  glad  at  this  juncture  to  find  an  auto- 
graph copy  of  a  letter  to  John  Bell.* 

1  Anthony  Fothergill  (1735-1813)  obtained  his  doctorate  at  Edin- 
burgh, and  practiced  for  some  years  in  London.  He  then  retired  and 
removed  to  Philadelphia  in  1803,  but  the  War  of  1812  drove  him  back 
again  to  England.  He  wrote  an  essay  "On  American  Mineral  Waters," 
and  "On  the  Apparently  Drowned,"  and  left  money  to  various  Phila- 
delphia Charities. 

2  Sir  John  Sinclair  (1754-1835)  was  a  disputatious  poHtical  writer, 
always  at  swords  points  with  Sir  William  Pitt.  Sinclair  wanted  peace 
at  any  price,  and  would  even  cede  Gibraltar  for  peace.  He  finally 
settled  his  differences  with  the  Government  by  accepting  a  sinecure 
with  a  handsome  salary.  He  then  travelled  extensively,  and  at  his 
death  was  entombed  in  Holyrood.  He  wrote  many  papers  on  agri- 
culture, and  his  "Code  of  Health"  in  spite  of  its  four  volumes  and 
high  price  had  a  wide  circulation  at  home  and  abroad. 

3  The  New  Journal,  intended  as  a  rival  to  the  "Repository,"  did 
not  last  very  long,  but  contained  interesting  pictures  of  New  York 
Hospitals. 

*  John  Bell  (1763-1820)  obtained  his  degree  at  Edinburgh  in  1780, 
and  estabUshed  a  medical  school  in  which  he  boldly  attacked  the 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  155 

"Portsmouth,  February  6,  1809.  Sir:  From  the  great  improve- 
ment which  I  have  received  from  the  perusal  of  your  "Surgery" 
and  particularly  from  the  new  doctrinal  ideas  on  Aneurism,  I  have 
been  induced  to  send  you  my  "Report  on  a  Case  of  Aneurism" 
which  I  lately  had  the  honour  to  read  before  the  Eastern  New 
Hampshire,  Medical  Society.  I  have  also  in  preparation  an 
Aneurismal  Aorta,  nearly  as  large  as  a  man's  right  arm,  and  when 
it  is  finished,  I  will  give  you  a  description  of  it  and  its  concomitant 
Case.  Be  pleased  also,  to  accept  my  Bills  of  Mortality  for  this 
town  for  the  past  two  years. 

Dr.  Alexander  Ramsay  of  your  city,  as  he  claims,  has  been  in 
this  country  lecturing  on  Anatomy,  and  pubhcly  laying  claim  to 
many  of  the  most  important  discoveries  of  Anatomy.  I  shall  be 
pleased  to  learn  of  his  reputation  from  you.  With  Great  Respect 
to  you,  for  your  many  and  great  Improvements  in  Anatomy  and 
Surgery,  I  am  Sir,  your  obedient  Servant,  Lyman  Spalding." 

Dr.  Mitchill's  first  letter  for  1809  throws  light  on  American 
medical  literature. 

"Washington,  Feb.  11,  1809.  Dear  Sir:  Sam'l  Mitchill  presents 
his  compliments  to  Dr.  Spalding,  and  returns  thanks  for  copies  of 
his  medical  pamphlets.  Consiunption,  he  sees,  alas,  still  continues 
its  alarming  ravages.  Almost  one-fifth  are  cut  off  by  that  dread- 
ful disease  in  New  Hampshire  as  in  New  York. 

Since  I  left  N.  Y.,  for  Washington,  for  the  winter,  a  New 
Periodical  has  made  its  appearance.  I  agree  with  you,  that 
the  settiag  up  of  another  journal  like  the  "Repository"  is 
injudicious.  It  would  have  been  better  to  buy  the  materials, 
patent,  and  influences  that  are  employed  in  its  support,  to  aid  the 
circulation  of  the  "Repository."  However,  as  you  know,  men 
are  fond  of  making  experiments  and  of  trying  their  strength.  All 
that  I  have  farther  to  say,  is,  that  they  must  try  for  themselves, 
and  if  they  find  the  Editorship  of  a  "Medico-Philosophical  Journal" 
after  eleven  years  as  unprofitable  as  I  have  done  with  the  "Re- 
pository," they  must  have  something  more  than  pay  for  their 
labors  to  stimulate  their  exertions.  Both  Dr.  Edward  Miller  and 
myself  have  worked  for  absolutely  NOTHING,  and  found  ourselves, 
during  the  whole  time  that  we  have  conducted  our  periodical 

stereotyped  methods  of  the  day.  His  brilliant  and  fascinating  style 
soon  brought  him  many  scholars.  His  "Anatomy"  obtained  a  great 
vogue  and  for  twenty  years  he  was  leading  surgeon  in  Scotland. 

His  "Surgery"  had  just  been  printed  at  the  time  of  Dr.  Spalding's 
letter.  Personally,  he  was  undersized,  impetuous,  energetic,  and 
beautifully  groomed. 

His  brilUant  career  was  brought  to  an  early  close  by  a  fall  from  horse 
back. 


156  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

publication.    We  furthermore  have  not  derived  one  cent  of  profit 
from  it.    With  Esteem,  S.  L.  Mitchill." 

A  letter  from  Dr.  Smith  arrived  also  at  this  same  time. 

"Hanover,  Feb.  12,  1809.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your  favor  and 
your  specimen  of  Arsenic  by  Mr.  Chadbourn.  I  believe  we  have 
a  small  specimen  of  Bismuth  and  Antimony,  but  if  you  can  easily 
procure  some  of  both,  we  should  be  glad  to  have  them.  I  am  very 
happy  to  hear  of  your  success  in  procuring  an  Anatomical  Museum. 
I  hope  that  your  example  will  be  followed  by  others,  and  that  I 
shall  live  to  see  the  dearth  of  anatomical  and  surgical  knowledge 
which  has  so  long  hung  over  our  land  done  away,  and  those  who 
undertake  the  cure  of  disease,  instead  of  being  the  tormentors  of 
the  unfortunate  and  the  afflictors  of  the  afflicted,  become  the 
benefactors  of  Mankind,  and  justify  the  gratitude  of  succeeding 
generations. 

I  have  found  a  plan  for  my  future  proceeding  as  relates  to 
Chemistry,  which  is  to  procure  sixty  boxes,  and  in  those  boxes  to 
put  all  the  preparations  in  complete  readiness  to  perform  60  lec- 
tures, which  shall  comprise  my  next  course  on  that  branch.  This 
I  can  cause  to  be  done  by  my  pupils,  which  will  be  a  kindness  to 
them,  and  will  abridge  my  labours  very  much. 

I  shall  make  every  exertion  for  a  grant  from  the  State  to  build  a 
House  for  medical  purposes.  Shall  meet  you  at  the  next  annual 
meeting  of  the  Medical  Society,  at  Exeter.  With  Sentiments  of 
Esteem,  Your  Friend,  Nathan  Smith." 

Early  in  this  year,  Dr.  Spalding  learned  that  the  Soda 
Water  fountain  which  he  had  personally  made,  and  used  in 
his  practice,  but  had  failed  to  patent,  had  now  been  patented 
by  others  and  that  infringements  would  be  prosecuted. 
Two  of  his  letters  to  the  Hawkins  brothers,  of  Philadelphia, 
patentees,  have  been  preserved,  and  may  be  inserted  here 
much  condensed. 

"Portsmouth,  March  1,  1809.  Dear  Sirs:  I  observed  in  the 
"Aurora"  that  you  have  a  patent  for  manufacturing  mineral 
waters.  This  was  the  first  knowledge  that  I  had  of  the  affair 
being  patented;  Although  not  disposed  to  infringe  the  laws,  I  take 
the  liberty  to  state  to  you  that  ten  years  ago  when  I  had  the  honor 
to  teach  Chemistry  at  Dartmouth,  I  manufactured  mineral  waters 
in  my  own  way  after  North's  apparatus  had  been  destroyed  by  the 
cold.  The  water  was  charged  with  gas  by  means  of  a  force  pump, 
screwed  into  a  cask.  This  is,  however,  inconvenient,  since  the 
pump  has  to  be  removed  every  time  that  the  cask  is  agitated. 
But  since  I  returned  from  Dartmouth  in  1808,  I  have  invented  a 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  157 

JOINT,  which  will  permit  the  cask  to  be  turned  for  agitation,  yet 
let  the  pump  remain  attached. 

If  any  part  of  my  process  could  advantage  you  or  any  other  fel- 
low mortal  one  cent,  a  special  description  is  at  your  service.  I 
have  never  made  an  object  of  manufacturing  Mineral  Waters,  be- 
lieving that  the  journey  and  the  Company  at  the  Watering  Places 
is  of  more  consequence  to  the  patient  than  the  waters.  But,  I 
know  that  there  are  many  fools  who  would  rather  pay  for  artificial 
waters,  than  to  drink  such  as  the  God  of  Nature  has  supphed  to 
them  in  abundance.  If  your  process  is  better  than  mine,  I  shall 
have  no  objection  to  learn  your  terms,  and  if  your  process  is  as 
much  better  as  the  price  demanded,  I  shall  have  no  objection  to 
treat  with  you,  always  wishing  to  use  the  best  means  in  my  power, 
for  the  help  of  my  patients.    Lyman  Spalding." 

In  a  second  letter  he  describes  his  method  of  making 
carbonic  acid  gas,  conveying  it  through  a  set  of  bladders, 
and  then  pumping  it  into  a  hooped  barrel  kept  constantly- 
agitated. 

"This  process  has  answered  my  purposes  fully,  but  if  yours  is 
better,  I  will  try  it.  Before  that,  I  must  see  your  design  and  if  it 
seem^s  better  I  will  pay  what  is  proper.  Or,  you  can  set  me  up  one 
of  your  Founts  and  be  paid  from  the  first  money  received.  I 
rather  expect  to  move  to  Boston,  and  I  should  like  to  include 
Rights  to  use  the  Fount  in  Massachusetts,  but  I  am  sure  that  the 
sum  you  demand  for  Rights  in  New  Hampshire  is  too  large,  be- 
cause there  are  only  two  places,  Portsmouth  and  Hanover,  which 
could  support  the  cost  of  putting  it  up.     L.  S." 

Whilst  this  discussion  was  going  on.  Dr.  Spalding  planned 
to  raise  native  opium.  In  order  to  be  sure  of  his  poppy 
seeds  he  wrote  to  his  friend  Professor  Peck  who  sent  some 
seeds,  which  being  planted  and  the  proper  processes  carried 
out,  Dr.  Spalding  was  able  to  exhibit  Portsmouth-raised 
Opium  at  a  medical  meeting  in  the  autumn. 

About  this  same  time  Dr.  Richard  Hazeltine  (1786-1831)^ 
sent  a  friendly  note. 

"Berwick,  April  28,  1809.  Dear  Sir:  I  herewith  forward  to  you 
the  Vol,  which  you  were  so  kind  as  to  lend  me,  and  should  have 
returned  it  before,  but  have  entertained  a  hope  that  I  should  be 
in  Portsmouth  and  deliver  it  myself.     Since  I  saw  you,  I  have 

1  Dr.  Hazeltine,  was  an  early  writer  on  Medicine  in  New  Hampshire 
and  Maine.  In  one  of  his  papers  he  refers  epidemics,  to  tempestuous 
weather,  and  in  another  he  speaks  of  a  snow  storm  in  1807,  lasting  an 
entire  week,  and  followed  with  much  sickness. 


158  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

shown  the  blank  scheme  of  medical  cases  to  several  physicians  who 
unanimously  concur  in  the  opinion  that  the  one  which  I  showed  you 
would  be  most  convenient.  And  I  should  now  propose  to  you  with- 
out further  delay  to  share  the  expense  with  you  and  employ  Mr. 
Sewall  ^  to  strike  off  some  hundred  copies  were  it  not  that  I  expect 
shortly  to  see  some  other  printer  with  whom  I  intend  to  converse 
on  the  subject.  I  must  therefore  beg,  that  the  business  so  far  as 
respects  myself  may  be  suspended  for  the  present.  ...  I  have  for 
two  yeai-s  last  past  received  yoiu-  Bills  of  MortaUty,  and  confess  I 
feel  more  pleasurable  sensations  from  such  trifling  notices  of  at- 
tention, than  I  will  attempt  to  express.  Permit  me  to  assure  you 
I  feel  very  grateful  for  them,  and  hope  I  may  be  so  fortunate  as  to 
be  one  among  those  whom  you  may  tliink  proper  to  direct  them  in 
future.    Yom-  Ob'd't  and  Humble  Serv't  Richard  Hazeltine." 

The  appended  note  from  John  Vaughan  of  Philadelphia 
throws  light  on  Dr.  Spalding's  studies. 

"Philadelphia  20,  April  1809.  Dear  Sir:  I  am  sorry  indeed,  of 
j'-om-  ha\'ing  to  abandon  the  pubhcation  of  your  edition  of  Willan 
owing  to  difl^iculties  with  the  colored  plates. 

Being  called  upon  by  others  to  obtain  a  Set  of  our  Philosophical 
Transactions,  I  have  agreeably  to  your  request  also  been  able  to 
obtain  a  Set  for  you  at  the  price  of  S20.50.  You  could  not,  I  think, 
have  procured  a  complete  Set  except  by  my  means.  Your  Bill  of 
Mortality  for  1808  I  presented  to  our  Society,  who  are  much 
obliged  by  your  attention.  Your  kind  promise  relative  to  Philo- 
sophical Information  will  be  of  use  to  us.  I  remain  Your  Friend, 
etc.,  Jn.  Vaughan." 

We  have  already  seen  a  letter  from  Dr.  Spalding  to  John 
Bell,  but  as  no  answer  came  another  was  sent  to  his  brother 
Charles  ;2  and  reads  in  this  way  from  a  copy  in  my  pos- 
session. 

1  "Mr.  Sewall"  was  Mr.  Stephen  Sewall  of  Kennebunk,  a  printer 
and  antiquarian. 

2  Although  Sir  Charles  Bell's  reply  has  not  been  preserved,  the  fol- 
lowing Note,  concerning  him  may  here  find  place. 

Charles  Bell  (1774-1842)  was  a  wonder  in  Medicine  and  Surgery, 
who  published  his  famous  "System  of  Dissections"  when  he  was  25, 
followed  it  up  with  his  epoch-making  studies  on  the  Nerves,  and  wrote 
his  marvelous  work  on  "The  Hand"  when  still  a  young  man.  He 
drew  beautifully  and  operated  rapidly;  performing  a  lithotomy,  it  is 
said,  in  3  minutes  and  16  seconds.  The  French  anatomists  loved  him 
dearly,  and  always  made  much  of  "Sharley"  Bell,  whenever  he  visited 
Paris.  Dr.  Spalding  mentions  his  "Operative  Surgery"  when  he  should 
have  said  "Comparative  Surgery." 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  159 

"Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  U.  S.  America,  May  10,  1809.  Sir:  I  have 
this  moment  read  in  your  "System  of  Operative  Surgery,"  that 
although  you  know  of  no  instance  of  a  spontaneous  cure  of  an 
aneurism,  yet  in  your  opinion,  there  is  a  possibility  of  its  occurring. 
I  am  now  happy  to  have  it  in  my  power.  Sir,  to  state  that  I  have 
seen  a  spontaneous  cure  of  an  aneurism  of  the  Femoral  Artery, 
which  in  symptoms  and  appearances  most  exactly  corresponds  with 
what  you  say,  may  happen.  This,  more  than  ever,  convinces  me 
that  your  inferences  are  drawn  from  anatomical  researches,  and 
that  your  "System"  is  actually  founded  on  the  basis  of  true  anat- 
omy. What  greater  evidence  can  be  given  of  a  perfect  knowledge 
of  anatomy  and  physiology,  than  from  these  sources  to  predict 
that  a  spontaneous  cure  of  an  aneurism  may  take  place,  although 
an  instance  was  never  known,  and  yet,  eventually  an  instance 
should  occur  in  which  the  prediction,  with  all  its  concomitants,  is 
most  justly  verified. 

This  Case  came  under  my  inspection  in  April  of  last  year,  and 
in  March  last  I  conamunicated  with  your  brother  Mr.  John  Bell,  by 
the  way  of  Halifax,  the  only  route  which  was  then  open.  But  as 
that  is  a  very  circuitous  one,  the  letter  may  have  miscarried.  If 
it  has  not  arrived,  you  will  do  me  the  honor  to  advise  me  thereof, 
and  I  will  instantly  transmit  a  copy  of  my  Pamphlet  on  the  subject 
to  you.    Your  Obedient  and  very  Humble  Servant,  L.  Spalding." 

Dr.  Smith  had  promised  to  attend  the  Medical  Meeting 
at  Exeter  this  year,  and  in  order  to  remind  him  of  the  ap- 
proaching day,  Dr.  Spalding  wrote  to  that  effect,  and  made 
other  inquiries  to  which  he  received  this  answer. 

"Hanover,  May  21, 1809.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  received  your  letter 
respecting  my  intended  appUcation  to  the  Legislature.  I  propose 
to  make  it  in  this  manner,  viz:  that  I  will  procure  a  Deed  to  the 
State  of  a  parcel  of  land  sufficient  to  place  the  building  on,  to  be 
the  property  of  the  State  forever,  for  that  purpose :  that  the  Build- 
ing shall  be  built  at  the  expense  of  the  State,  and  remain  the  prop- 
erty of  the  State  forever,  under  the  inspection  and  control  of  some 
Board,  whom  the  Legislature  may  appoint,  to  be  used  and  employed 
for  Medical  and  Experimental  Philosophy.  I  suppose  that  about 
ten  thousand  dollars,  would  be  sufficient  to  build  the  House  and 
furnish  the  necessary  Library,  Apparatus,  etc,  I  have  high  ex- 
pectations that  something  will  be  done  for  me,  which  will  be  im- 
portant to  the  interests  of  Medical  Science,  as  I  have  the  assurance 
of  many  members  of  the  House  of  Representatives  in  my  favor. 

I  am  with  High  Esteem,  etc.,  Nathan  Smith." 

This  money  may  have  been  appropriated  at  this  time,  but 
the  Building  was  not  occupied  until  1811.     Dr.  Smith  at- 


160  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

tended  the  Meeting  at  Exeter,  was  elected  Vice  President 
and  nominated  on  a  Committee  on  Mineral  Waters,  with 
Dr.  Spalding. 

I  have  before  mentioned  that  Dr.  Spalding  presented  to 
Congress  in  1802  his  Claim  against  the  Government  for 
services  to  workmen  at  Fort  Constitution,  but  was  not  then 
paid.  After  waiting  patiently,  he  wrote  this  year  to  his 
friend  from  Walpole,  John  Curtis  Chamberlain,  M.C.  (1772- 
1834)  and  received  the  two  following  notes. 

"Washington,  11  June,  1809.  Dear  Sir:  The  Post  Road  to 
Charlestown  is  now  before  the  Committee;  this  session  will  be 
short,  and  perhaps  the  consideration  of  it  will  be  deferred  until 
next. 

Your  business  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  Durrell  I  am  unacquainted 
with.  You  must  inform  me  what  it  was,  and  where  to  be  found 
before  I  can  render  you  any  services.  From  present  appearances 
this  session  will  close  in  ten  days.  There  appears  to  be  a  spirit  of 
conciliation  in  Congress  which  I  hope  will  be  of  service  to  the  people. 
Your  Friend,  J.  C.  Chamberlain." 

Later  on  he  wrote  again. 

"Washington  City,  9th,  Dec.  1809.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your 
letter  dated  at  Philadelphia,  and  immediately  examined  the  Clerk's 
Files  and  found  your  claim  and  vouchers.  It  is  referred  to  the 
Committee  of  Claims.  I  think  your  vouchers  sufficient,  but  I 
doubt  whether  your  claim  will  be  considered  of  the  kind  which 
Government  ought  to  pay.  On  this  point  I  will  give  no  explicit 
opinion,  but  advise  you  to  prepare  your  mind  to  hear  of  its  in- 
admissibility. 

Yours  with  esteem,  John  C.  Chamberlain." 

The  readers  of  these  letters  must  already  have  perceived, 
that  Dr.  Spalding  was  an  unusually  clever  physician,  and  they 
may  have  thought  that  he  must  by  this  time  be  chafing  at 
his  confinement  in  so  small  a  place  as  Portsmouth.  In  a 
letter  concerning  his  Soda  Fountain,  we  saw  that  he  was 
planning  to  settle  in  Boston.  It  is  evident,  however,  that 
he  could  not  feel  sure  of  success  in  any  new  field  without 
further  instruction.  Having  at  this  juncture  lately  met  Dr. 
Ramsay  at  Hanover,  it  is  probable  from  conversations  with 
him  that  he  now  meditated  a  voyage  to  Europe.  Yet  when 
he  considered  this  plan,  he  saw  that  his  income  was  too 
small  to  maintain  his  wife  and  children  during  his  absence, 
and  money  was  hard  to  borrow  owing  to  dread  of  war  with 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  161 

England,  so  that  the  only  way  in  which  the  voyage  could  be 
obtained  lay  in  some  Governmental  appointment.  Just 
what  his  plans  now  turned  out  to  be,  we  read  in  ''A  Mem- 
orial," at  this  time  forwarded  to  Washington. 

"To  the  Honorable  Robert  Smith,  Esq.  Secretary  of  State :  ^  The 
undersigned  humbly  showeth  that  for  fifteen  years  last  past  he  haa 
made  the  study  of  the  various  branches  of  Medical  Science  his  sole 
object,  that  he  has  visited  some  of  the  most  celebrated  medical 
Schools  in  the  United  States,  and  has  pubhcly  taught  medicuie  in 
Dartmouth  University  for  a  part  of  the  above  mentioned  period. 

That  he  has  wholly  in  view,  the  improvement  of  himself  in  Medi- 
cal Science,  that  he  may  thereby  be  better  enabled  to  instruct 
others  and  alleviate  human  ills.  That  medical  Science,  particu- 
larly Anatomy  and  Chemistry  have  been  brought  to  greater  per- 
fection in  France  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  world,  and  that  the 
present  relation  of  our  Government  with  the  European  powers  does 
not  readily  admit  of  a  passage  thither;  the  undersigned  for  these 
and  other  good  reasons  requests  the  favor  of  being  employed  as  a 
public  MESSENGER  to  our  Mmister  in  France,  to  enable  him  there 
to  pursue  his  favorite  studies  of  Anatomy  and  Chemistry  under 
the  most  celebrated  Professors  in  the  world,  and  as  in  duty  bound, 
shall  ever  pray.    Lyman  Spalding. 

Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  August  25,  1809." 

This  petition  was  accompanied  with  an  autograph  letter 
of  John  Wheelock;  also  signed  by  Nathan  Smith;  and  reads 
as  follows : 

"This  certifies  that  the  bearer.  Dr.  Lyman  Spalding,  a  citizen  of 
this  State  is  a  gentleman  of  talents,  pure  moral  character,  and  repu- 
table connexions.  He  has  long  appUed  himself  in  the  pursuits 
of  science,  and  more  particularly  devoted  his  attention  to  im- 
provement in  Chemistry,  and  the  professional  study  of  Physic. 
Greatly  have  his  acquirements  secured  to  him  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  his  numerous  acquaintance.  From  regard  to  his  merit,  the  Cor- 
poration of  this  University  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Medicine,  and  for  some  tune  he  officiated  as  pubhc  lecturer  ia 
the  same.  He  contemplates  a  tour  of  Europe  to  visit  different 
philosophical  and  medical  establishments,  for  the  farther  enlarge- 
ment of  his  knowledge  and  acquaintance,  and  to  open  new  sources 
for  increasing  the  advantages  and  extending  the  usefulness  of  the 
Chemical  Establishment  in  this  Institution. 

1  Hon.  Robert  Smith  (1757-1842)  served  in  the  Revolutionary  Army, 
practiced  law  successfully  at  Baltimore,  and  was  in  succession  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  United  States  Attorney  General  and  Secretary  of  State. 


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JOINT  CERTIFICATi   FROM    PRESIDENT  WHEELOCK  AND   DR.   SMITH   TO  SUPPORT 
THE   EUROPEAN   PROJECT 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  163 

ing  no  expense  to  be  admitted  to  the  dissecting  and  preparation 
rooms  in  France  and  England  and  actually  working  at  all  those 
things  myself,  as  I  did  at  Hanover.  Also  seeing,  preparing  and 
making  every  chemical  experiment  now  exhibited  in  Europe,  and 
bringing  home  with  me  every  kind  of  instrument  and  apparatus 
required  in  Anatomy,  dissections,  demonstrations,  and  injections; 
Also  all  curious,  valuable,  rare  books,  plates,  plans  and  engravings 
on  our  Science. 

Now,  Sir,  if  you  will  contribute  to  the  expense,  you  shall  share 
with  me  the  profits;  i.e.,  I  will  spend  the  term  of  the  first  courses  of 
your  lectures  after  I  return,  at  Hanover,  and  will  act  as  dissector 
and  chemical  experiment  maker  to  you,  and  will  engage  to  show 
you  every  anatomical  and  surgical  fact  which  is  now  known  or 
can  be  obtained  in  Europe,  and  every  species  and  variety  of  dis- 
section and  preparation,  and  every  kind  of  Chemical  Experiment 
and  preparation.  But,  Sir,  I  will  not  engage  to  spend  any  more 
than  one  course  of  Lectures  with  you,  as  my  business  in  Ports- 
mouth is  such  as  to  render  it  absolutely  impossible  for  me  to  leave 
it  to  the  mercy  of  the  waves.  It  will  also  be  a  good  opportunity 
for  you  to  procure  a  library  and  chemical  furniture,  and  for  your 
College  to  obtain  books  and  philosophical  apparatus. 

With  Esteem,  your  Humble  Ser't,  Lyman  Spalding." 

The  arrival  of  this  letter  could  not  fail  to  remind  Dr. 
Smith  that  the  Spaldings  had  helped  him  to  visit  Europe  in 
1796;  his  reply  is  worth  reading. 

"Hanover,  July  20,  1809.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  rec'd  your  letter 
respecting  your  intended  tour  to  Europe.  If  on  due  consideration 
of  the  subject  you  are  determined  to  make  the  experiment,  I  shall 
acquiesce  and  render  you  all  the  assistance  in  my  power,  which  I 
fear  will  be  very  little.  I  acknowlege  the  liberality  of  your  pro- 
posals, and  nothing  but  the  want  thereof  will  prevent  me  from 
affording  you  pecuniary  assistance.  My  affairs  are  at  present 
very  much  embarrassed  on  account  of  some  purchases  of  land 
which  I  made  two  years  since,  and  the  money  which  I  have  been 
obliged  to  expend  for  the  Medical  Establishment  has  reduced  my 
finances  very  low.  It  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  help  you  from 
the  money  granted  for  a  Medical  Building,  as  we  do  not  receive 
any  money  from  the  Treasurer  till  a  year  from  next  January,  and 
that  money  is  granted  for  an  express  purpose,  and  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  Committee  for  that  purpose  only,  so  that  it  cannot 
be  touched  by  me.  As  you  live  in  the  midst  of  wealth  I  thought 
it  might  be  possible  that  you  might  find  some  person  who  would 
loan  five  hundred  dollars  for  two  years.  If  you  could,  I  would  give 
them  my  security  for  it,  and  if  required  would  seciire  the  pa5Tnent 
by  real  property  worth  double  the  sum.    If  you  should  find  any 


164  LR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

opportunity  to  obtain  money  in  the  way  and  manner  pointed  out, 
I  would  let  you  have  it,  and  we  would  settle  it  in  the  way  and  man- 
ner you  have  pointed  out  in  your  letter.  .  .  .  We  are  in  great  dis- 
tress on  accoimt  of  money  in  this  part  of  the  covmtry,  more  so,  I 
conclude  than  you  are.  At  least  it  is  more  difficult  to  procure  any 
considerable  sum.  I  should  like  to  hear  from  you  again,  inform- 
ing me  when  you  propose  to  go  to  Europe.  I  should  suppose  it 
would  be  best  to  go  in  Sept'r  so  as  to  be  there  at  the  beginning  of 
their  amiual  course  of  Lectures  which  commence  in  Nov'r.  I  am 
with  sentiments  of  High  Esteem,  Nathan  Smith." 

Whilst  the  question  of  the  European  Tour  was  under 
discussion  Dr.  Spalding  came  very  near  losing  his  life  at 
Fort  Constitution,  July  4,  1809.  Col.  Walbach,  who  was 
a  former  officer  in  the  French  Army,  had  come  to  America 
and  obtained  an  appointment  in  the  United  States  Army  in 
1801.  He  had  invited  some  friends  to  dinner  on  the  festal 
occasion,  and  in  the  midst  of  it  there  occurred  a  terrific  ex- 
plosion, shattering  the  fioor  and  ceiling  of  the  room  in  which 
the  dinner  was  spread,  and  hurling  most  of  the  guests  to 
the  floor. 

When  he  regained  his  senses,  Dr.  Spalding  made  for  the 
open  air,  found  seven  men  dead,  and  many  wounded,  for 
whom  he  and  Dr.  William  Cutter  cared. 

Although  the  doubly  signed  letter  from  Dartmouth  might 
be  of  value  on  this  side  of  the  ocean,  Dr.  Spalding  felt  that 
another,  from  Dr.  Rush,  the  best  known  of  all  American 
physicians  abroad  would  be  of  greater  value  still  if  his  plans 
succeeded.  With  this  idea  in  mind,  he  enlisted  the  services 
of  his  intimate  friend  Rev.  George  Richards,  as  his  reply 
now  informs  us,  but  of  Dr.  Rush's  letter  of  commendation  I 
find  no  traces. 

"Philadelphia,  September  18,  1809.  Dear  Su-:  I  have  the 
pleasure  to  inform  you  that  I  arrived  in  Philadelphia  on  Saturday 
at  1/2  past  1,  and  Sunday  at  3  p.m.  delivered  your  letter  to  Dr. 
Rush  in  person.  The  venerable  sage  received  it  with  the  most 
flattermg  remarks  of  polite  attention,  and  begs  me  to  assure  you 
that  the  certificate  shall  be  forwarded  agreably  to  your  requests, 
and  that  he  stands  prepared  to  tender  you  any  assistance  in  his 
power,  and  that  on  all  subjects  you  may  freely  communicate  and 
freely  command.  Any  services  in  my  power  are  also  most  cheer- 
fully tendered,  and  requesting  you  to  inform  Dr.  Pierrepont  of  my 
safe  arrival;  he  and  you  may  expect  a  lengthy  letter  when  I  am 
perfectly  domesticated.    Devotedly  Yours,  George  Richards." 


LETTERS  TO  BARON  ALIBERT  165 

When  the  voyage  to  Europe  was  abandoned  because  the 
Government  appointment  could  not  be  obtained,  Dr.  Spald- 
ing decided  that  the  next  best  step  was  to  spend  the  winter 
at  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital  Medical  School,  and  at  once 
wrote  to  that  effect  to  his  friend  Dr.  Perkins  who  had  lately 
attended  that  school. 

From  Dr.  Perkins'  answer,  we  also  see  that  Dr.  Spalding 
had  been  having  troubles  about  his  wig. 

.  "Boston,  Oct.  18,  1809.  Dear  Sir:  Your  favor  I  received  this 
day.  Some  person,  several  weeks  ago  called  on  me  concerning  the 
wig,  and  I  informed  him  that  the  wigmaker,  about  the  time  it  was  to 
have  been  finished,  took  a  sudden  start  for  Europe,  in  other  words 
took  French  Leave.  What  he  did  with  the  measure  and  sample  of 
hair,  nobody  knew.  This  information,  I  expected  the  man  gave  you 
on  his  return  to  Portsmouth.  So,  the  present  state  of  the  business 
is  as  you  wish  .  .  .  there  is  no  wig  made.  I  thank  you  for  your 
kind  offer.  I  have  no  commands  in  Philadelphia,  as  I  came  from 
that  city  only  a  few  days  since.  I  have  a  high  opinion  of  the  ad- 
vantages there  for  medical  improvements.  I  was  highly  pleased 
with  Dr.  Barton  and  Dr.  James,  and  with  the  Pennsylvania  Hospi- 
tal. I  presume  the  lectures  there  are  nearly  equal  to  those  of 
any  of  the  European  School.  The  Professors  are  men  of  great 
eminence  and  very  great  ambition.  I  think  you  must  spend  your 
winter  there  very  profitably  as  well  as  pleasantly.  Dear  Sir;  your 
friend,  Cyeus  Perkins." 

Immediately  after  the  arrival  of  this  letter  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Spalding  went  to  Philadelphia  where  they  spent  three 
months,  to  their  great  delight  socially  and  medically.  Dr. 
Spalding  made  copious  notes  of  all  the  lectures  and  from 
his  Note  Book  I  will  append  in  the  following  Chapter  a 
summary  of  what  he  heard  and  saw. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Visit  to  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  1809-10. 

I  WILL  begin  this  chapter  with  some  notes  concerning  the 
physicians  whom  Dr.  Spalding  was  now  to  meet  very  inti- 
mately, for  in  that  way  their  lectures  will  seem  more  inter- 
esting as  coming  from  persons  with  whom  we  are  already 
acquainted. 

Nathaniel  Chapman  (1780-1853)  obtained  his  degree  in 
Philadelphia,  studied  in  Edinburgh,  and  was  practicing  in 
Philadelphia  as  early  as  1804.  He  soon  stood  in  the  front 
rank  of  medical  practitioners  and  instructors.  His  book  "  On 
the  Elements  of  Therapeutics  and  Materia  Medica"  was  the 
most  artistic  that  had  up  to  that  time  been  issued  in  this 
countiy.  Personally,  Chapman  was  affable,  charming  in 
manners,  popular,  renowned  for  his  gaiety  of  spirits  and  skill 
in  emergencies.  He  founded  "The  Journal  of  American 
Medical  Science"  and  was  a  famous  literateur.  He  was  at 
this  time  lecturing  on  Obstetrics  and  Materia  Medica. 

Caspar  Wistar  (1761-1818)  looks  at  me  as  I  am  writing, 
and  I  can  imagine  him  stepping  out  of  the  frame  and  saying 
with  his  usual  bow  to  his  students,  "Good  Morning  Gentle- 
men." Wistar  was  a  grandson  of  the  first  glass  maker  in 
America,  and  as  a  boy  he  assisted  the  surgeons  at  the  battle 
of  Germantown.  He  obtained  degrees  at  home  and  abroad, 
and  on  his  return  was  made  Physician  to  the  Pennsylvania 
Hospital,  and  Professor  of  Anatomy  and  Surgery.  He  was 
a  delightfully  social  man,  and  with  Mrs.  Wistar,  the  second, 
who  was  a  Mifflin,  kept  open  house  for  local  and  foreign 
sclents.  His  "System  of  Anatomy"  caused  him  to  be  con- 
sidered America's  greatest  anatomist.  He  took  a  great 
fancy  to  Dr.  Spalding,  gave  him  every  opportunity  for 
studying  anatomy,  and  they  remained  on  very  friendly 
terms  to  the  end  of  their  lives. 

Philip  Syng  Physick  (1760-1837)  began  with  medicine  as 
a  pastime;  then  going  abroad  with  plenty  of  money  and 
recommendations,  he  had  the  great  good  fortune  to  be 
chosen  as  a  pupil  of  John  Hunter's  and  to  live  in  his  family. 

166 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  NEW  YORK  167 

From  that  time  on,  medicine  and  surgery  were  all  the  world 
to  him.  Through  Hunter's  influence  he  was  made  a  House 
Surgeon  at  St.  George's,  a  position  of  untold  value  to  any- 
young  physician,  and  one  up  to  that  time  never  before  ob- 
tained by  any  American.  He  went  from  there  to  Edin- 
burgh where  he  obtained  his  degree  in  1792. 

He  soon  obtained  public  notice  in  Philadelphia  in  an 
epidemic  of  yellow  fever  in  1793,  for  which  he  was  rewarded 
with  a  Silver  Service.  In  due  season  he  became  Professor 
of  Surgery  and  on  the  death  of  his  nephew.  Dr.  Dorsey, 
Professor  of  Anatomy.  His  successful  operation  for  hth- 
otomy,  in  his  63rd  year,  upon  Chief  Justice  Marshall, 
brought  him  additional  fame,  and  multitudinous  congratu- 
lations. His  equal  as  a  Lecturer  and  a  Surgeon  will  hardly 
be  met  with  in  the  annals  of  American  Medicine. 

John  Syng  Dorsey  (1783-1818)  was  graduated  in  medicine 
when  hardly  twenty  years  of  age.  He  then  studied  in 
London  and  in  Paris,  was  on  most  friendly  terms  with  John 
Hunter  and  Sir  Humphrey  Davy,  and  on  his  return  was 
made  associate  Professor  of  Surgery  with  his  uncle.  Dr. 
Physick.  The  death  of  Dr.  Barton  promoted  him  to  the 
Chair  of  Materia  Medica,  and  that  of  Dr.  Wistar  to  the 
Chair  of  Anatomy.  He  dehvered  the  brilhant  opening 
lecture  November  2nd,  1818,  was  attacked  with  typhus  on 
the  next  day  and  died  November  12th.  His  ''System  of 
Surgery"  was  one  of  America's  earHest  and  most  eflacient 
treatises  on  that  subject,  and  as  an  operator,  he  must  have 
been  bold,  judging  from  his  success  with  an  Innominate 
Aneurism  shortly  before  his  death.  With  the  exception  of 
Dr.  Physick  and  of  Dr.  Valentine  Mott  of  New  York,  Dr. 
Dorsey,  young  as  he  was,  was  regarded  as  the  foremost 
surgeon  of  the  age. 

Benjamin  Smith  Barton  (1776-1815)  inherited  from  his 
Father  a  great  love  for  Natural  History,  and  after  studying 
in  Philadelphia  he  went  to  Edinburgh  where  he  carried  off 
the  Botanical  prize  for  an  Essay  ''On  Hyoscyamus,"  and 
obtained  a  medical  degree  at  Goettingen.  He  long  occupied 
the  Chair  of  Materia  Medica  at  Philadelphia,  and  was 
Editor  of  "The  Medical  and  Physical  Journal."  His  fame 
as  a  Botanist  was  world  wide,  many  plants  being  named 
after  him.  His  lectures  were  filled  with  anecdotes,  and  no 
Professor  received  so  undivided  attention  whilst  lecturing, 


168  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

as  did  Dr.  Barton.  He  was  a  handsome  man,  very  positive 
and  very  passionate  in  his  arguments,  but  owing  to  a  de- 
fective memory,  he  was  sometimes  compelled  to  retract 
what  he  had  said. 

Joseph  Parrish  (1779-1840)  was  graduated  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1805,  and  it  has  been  asserted  that  he  delivered 
the  first  course  of  Chemical  Lectures  in  America,  in  1808. 
But  Dr.  Spalding  and  Professor  Silliman  antedated  him  in 
that  respect.  Parrish  with  other  medical  friends,  established 
a  Private  School  for  Medical  Instruction  in  Philadelphia, 
and  then  compelled  the  older  school  to  improve  its  lectures, 
and  ultimately  to  unite  with  his.  He  was  on  the  staff  of  the 
Wills,  Eye  and  Ear  Hospital  from  its  foundation,  wrote  many 
medical  papers,  was  Editor  of  the  "North  America  Medical 
and  Surgical  Journal,"  and  a  considerable  contributor  to  the 
National  Pharmacopoeia. 

William  Potts  Dewees  (1768-1841)  whose  lectures  proved 
extremely  attractive  to  Dr.  Spalding  was  one  of  America's 
greatest  obstetricians.  Owing  to  lack  of  money  he  did  not 
obtain  a  degree,  in  course,  but  practiced  for  a  while  without 
one,  and  then  returning  to  his  studies  again  was  duly  gradu- 
ated. He  was  one  of  the  earUest  specialists  in  obstetrics, 
practiced  successfully  for  some  time,  then  retired  to  Alabama 
owing  to  poor  health.  He  resumed  practice  later  on,  and  was 
chosen  Professor  of  Obstetrics  in  the  University  of  Phila- 
delphia. His  "System  of  Obstetrics"  is  a  perpetual  monu- 
ment to  his  fame,  and  he  remains  celebrated  as  the  one  who 
first  emphasized  the  danger  of  Cardiac  Thrombosis  in  lying 
in  women.  His  portraits  make  him  a  very  handsome  man, 
with  a  winning  disposition. 

Thomas  Chalkley  James  (1766-1835)  of  Welsh  descent 
was  graduated  at  Philadelphia  in  1787  and  went  on  a  voyage 
to  China  as  Ship's  Surgeon.  Returning  by  way  of  England, 
he  studied  there  for  three  years  chiefly  on  obstetrics,  and  re- 
turned to  Philadelphia  about  1793.  In  the  following  year 
he  went  West  as  Surgeon  on  a  Western  Expedition.  He 
next  established  a  private  course  of  lectures  on  Obstetrics  in 
Philadelphia,  and  later  on  was  elected  Professor  of  Obstetrics 
in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  Editor  of  "The 
Eclectic  Reporter"  a  medical  journal  of  high  standing,  and 
he  also  issued  an  American  Edition  of  Burn's  "Midwifery." 
He  was  much  interested  in  the  treatment  of  extra  uterine 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  NEW  YORK  169 

pregnancy,  and  reported  a  very  early  case  of  inducted  labor 
in  a  contracted  pelvis.  His  translation  of  Gessner's  "  Idylls  " 
was  highly  praised,  and  he  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  in 
carrying  on  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society. 

With  these  annotations,  let  me  now  pass  to  Dr.  Spalding's 
Note  Book. 

Dr.  Physick  showed  us  cases  of  fever  from  pus  collecting 
in  the  ring  of  the  abdominal  muscle:  one  died  before  oper- 
ation, the  other  was  relieved  by  opening  the  abscess.  If 
pus  forms  in  the  pectoral  muscle,  a  bougie  run  into  the 
bottom  of  the  sac  will  drain  it  out  properly.  Nov.  15, 
he  dissected  out  successfully  a  large  steatomatous  tumor 
from  the  fascia  of  the  thigh  of  a  man  of  40.  Three  days 
later  I  saw  him  extirpate  from  the  neck  of  a  woman  a  hard 
tumor  as  large  as  my  two  fists.  In  operating,  he  exposed 
the  carotid  and  thyroid  cartilage  on  which  the  tumor  lay. 
Both  of  these  tumors  were  dressed  with  adhesive  plaster 
and  charpie.  At  another  lecture  he  mentioned  ossified 
arteries  similar  to  those  that  I  had  seen  at  home.  After  the 
lecture  I  mentioned  this  fact  to  Dr.  Physick  who  seemed 
pleased  to  hear  it.  He  reduced  a  right  humerus  which  had 
been  dislocated  three  months  before.  Extension  and  counter 
extension  were  employed.  Physick,  Dorsey  and  Wistar 
manipulating,  hauhng  and  pulling  one  way  and  another. 
After  several  vain  attempts,  several  students  pulling  at  right 
angles  with  a  rope,  Dr.  Physick  put  a  strap  under  the  axilla, 
mounted  a  chair,  and  then  after  more  pulling  and  hauling, 
the  bone  slipped  into  place.  On  another  occasion  he  showed 
us  a  knife  wound  of  the  stomach  (permitting  food  to  run 
out)  which  later  on,  healed;  and  a  penetrating  wound  of  the 
knee-joint  which  healed  slowly.  On  one  day  he  removed  a 
small  tumor  beneath  the  clavicle,  did  lithotomy  on  a  child, 
extracted  a  stone  from  the  urethra,  and  punctured  for  vari- 
cocele. He  did  the  lithotomy  very  elegantly,  and  after  ex- 
amining the  fluid  from  the  varicocele  he  used  water,  only, 
for  the  injection  instead  of  Port  Wine.  In  amputating  he 
uses  but  one  turn  of  the  tourniquet,  to  avoid  puckering  of 
the  skin,  which  would  prevent  a  smooth  incision.  At  an- 
other lithotomy  he  divided  a  deep  vessel,  and  ligated  it 
beautifully  with  a  tenaculum  passed  in  beneath.  Hemor- 
rhage from  the  plantar  arteries  he  controlled  with  a  band  of 
copper  to  press  on  the  arteries  but  nowhere  else.    He  treated 


170  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

ulcers  of  the  leg  by  raising  the  foot.  He  is  very  partial  to 
fractures,  and  pays  great  attention  to  splints,  being  very 
fertile  in  his  suggestions  as  to  their  size,  shape  and  position. 
A  medullary  artery  was  bleeding  profusely,  and  enveloped 
in  its  bony  case  could  not  be  drawn  out  or  compressed,  so  he 
whittled  a  bit  of  wood  to  shape,  forced  it  between  the  bone 
and  the  artery  and  the  bleeding  ceased. 

"Do  not  extract  a  tooth,"  he  said,  '4n  fractured  jaws,  be- 
cause you  then  convert  a  simple  fracture  into  a  compound." 
"With  fractured  ribs,  tighten  the  bandage  all  you  can  and 
let  the  diaphragm  do  the  breathing."  He  gave  practical 
rules  for  applying  bandages,  showing  us  especially  how  to 
prevent  swelling  from  too  tight  a  bandage.  He  was  exceed- 
ingly clear  in  diagnosticating  fractures,  from  dislocations, 
and  again  showed  us  how  to  bandage. 

He  was  very  conservative  as  a  surgeon,  saving  for  instance 
fingers  apparently  destroyed.  He  made  his  fracture  patients 
comfortable,  by  ingenious  holes  in  the  bed,  and  boards  laid 
across  for  rests.  He  never  treated  two  fractures  alike.  He 
told  us  how  John  Hunter  cured  a  woman  with  a  stiff  knee- 
joint  by  causing  her  to  sit  on  the  edge  of  a  table  and  swing 
her  leg  to  and  fro. 

In  a  long  standing  unreduced  dislocation  of  the  shoulder, 
he  had  a  Professional  Bleeder,  at  hand,  and  as  the  patient 
fell  to  the  floor  from  loss  of  blood,  he  grasped  the  arm,  and 
with  a  single  manipulation  he  had  the  bone  in  place  in  a  few 
seconds.  He  told  us  of  a  girl  who  sprained  an  ankle,  walked 
too  soon,  "to  make  the  joint  supple,"  so  that  suppuration 
set  in  and  the  patient  died.  He  mentioned  Desault's 
"Fractures,"  but  did  not  say  that  Dr.  Caldwell  had  trans- 
lated that  work. 

"Dr.  Physick  was,  as  I  have  heard,  fond  of  telling  this 
story,  winter  after  winter.  A  drunken  man  in  Edinburgh 
was  picked  up  unconscious  and  carried  to  the  hospital  as  an 
apoplectic.  Waking  the  next  morning  in  a  strange  place,  he 
inquired  what  was  wrong  with  him,  and  why  he  could  not  go 
to  work.  "Hush,  hush,"  said  the  nurse  "you  have  had  a 
stroke  and  they  are  going  to  trepan  your  skull  at  once." 
"Not  on  your  life,"  shrieked  the  man,  and  picking  up  his 
clothes  he  fled  with  speed." 

Lecturing  on  cataracts,  he  said  that  the  capsule  should  be 
extracted  with  forceps  or  a  hook.    A  patient  with  unreduced 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  NEW  YORK  171 

dislocation  of  the  femur  was  brought  in  for  reduction. 
After  counter-extension,  and  rotation,  the  neck  of  the  femur 
broke,  to  the  confusion  of  the  surgeons  and  to  the  amazement 
of  the  class.  "I  go  next,"  said  Dr.  Physick,  and  without  ap- 
parent interruption  "I  go  next  to  speak  of  strangulated 
Hernia,  in  which  a  high  enema  of  tobacco  is  better  than 
mere  tobacco  smoke." 

Dr.  Physick  takes  the  greatest  care  to  give  no  merit  at  all 
to  John  Bell,  but  follows  John  Hunter  ''Toto  Coelo."  "In 
tapping,  you  may  get  water  and  you  may  get  JELLY!";  at 
which  the  students  roared.  He  then  mentioned  an  actress 
in  London  who  was  tapped,  so  that  both  the  Mother  and  the 
Infant  died:  it  was  a  case  of  pregnancy,  not  of  dropsy.  He 
once  saw  a  man  drop  dead  in  an  instant,  from  holding  his 
hands  above  his  head;  the  pus  from  an  abscess  in  the  axilla 
had  run  into  the  circulation. 

Dr.  Rush  made  much  of  his  lecture  on  the  Mind,  men- 
tioned children  who  could  not  talk  until  they  were  8,  and 
then  he  branched  off  into  ventriloquism.  No  action  of  man 
is  voluntary,  but  became  so  by  use.  Man  is  an  automaton, 
driven  to  and  fro  like  a  ship  by  the  wind.  People  sometimes 
distinguish  with  their  eyes,  the  taste  of  things,  and  yet  per- 
ceive colors  with  their  finger  tips.  "  I  knew  a  Mr.  Fowler 
of  Virginia  who  could  almost  instantaneously  multiply  men- 
tally any  twelve  figures  by  any  other  twelve." 

He  also  lectured  on  Natural  History,  and  remarked  that 
the  branches  of  a  tree  which  penetrated  a  warm  room  would 
remain  green  all  winter,  even  when  the  rest  of  the  tree  out- 
side was  frozen  stiff. 

"When  they  put  down  a  Land  Mark  in  England,  they  do 
it  in  sight  of  a  dozen  boys,  call  their  attention  particularly 
to  the  fact,  and  then  give  them  a  spanking,  so  that  they  will 
for  LIFE,  remember  the  landmark  by  the  whipping." 

Dr.  Rush  said  "I  remember  Dr.  Shippen  saying;  The 
division  of  the  intestines  is  arbitrary.  You  allow  twelve 
fingers'  breadth  for  the  duodenum,  then  trace  the  jejunum 
along  until  you  are  tired  and  then  call  it  Ileum,  until  you  get 
to  the  Coecum." 

After  Dr.  Spalding  had  entered  notes  of  a  lecture  by  Dr. 
Rush  on  Sleep,  he  wrote  on  the  margin  of  his  book  "This 
topic  deserves  great  attention  from  me." 


172  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Dr.  Rush  often  talked  on  Cookery  for  patients,  and  gave 
us  excellent  receipts  for  Potato  Soup  and  for  Green  Corn 
Grated,  and  made  into  a  pudding  with  eggs  and  milk.  A 
pound  of  solid  meat  cut  into  pieces  and  put  into  a  bottle  and 
boiled  is  good  for  invalids.  His  lectures  on  the  pulse  with 
its  varities,  Synochus  IMitis,  and  Synochus  Fortis  were 
amusing. 

"The  pain  of  a  disease"  he  said,  may  be  located  at  an 
entirely  different  part  from  its  actual  seat." 

He  was  fond  of  phrases:  "When  I  was  in  the  Army," 
"Mr.  White  tells  me;"  "An  old  lady  of  Germantown;" 
"  Infuse  faith  in  your  patient;  Tell  patients  that  they  can- 
not die  of  That  disease,  and  their  mind  turns  to  other 
thoughts." 

He  lectured  on  Patting,  Rubbing  and  Shampooing,  as 
practiced  by  the  Chinese.  After  seeing  a  case  of  dropsy 
he  said  "We  cure  this  with  bleeding  and  purging"  and  Dr. 
Spalding  adds  "This  is  true,  for  I  have  seen  the  patient 
many  times. 

Never  let  a  fever  patient  rest  near  a  wall,  but  always  in 
the  middle  of  the  room.  Stimulate  him  with  hopeful- 
ness, and  drive  away  visitors  who  talk  about  other  people 
dying  from  just  such  a  fever.  When  a  patient  is  re- 
covering, get  him  away  from  everything  that  can  remind 
him  of  sickness,  shave  him  and  cleanse  him  toward  recovery. 

Dr.  Rush  was  enthusiastic  over  George  Cleghorn  (1715- 
1789)  who  was  a  house  pupil  of  Alexander  Monro  of  Edin- 
burgh. Whilst  serving  as  Army  Surgeon  in  the  Island  of 
Minorca,  Cleghorn  paid  much  attention  to  a  peculiar  fever 
which  was  there  indigenous,  and  his  work  on  "Fevers,"  re- 
mains a  Classic  in  British  Medicine.  Many  otherwise  in- 
explicable statements  made  by  Hippocrates  concerning 
Minorca  Fever  only  become  clear  when  studied  by  the  light 
thrown  upon  them  by  Cleghorn.  Resigning  from  the  Army, 
he  lectured  on  Anatomy  at  Dublin.  Dr.  Spalding  purchased 
Cleghorn's  Work  for  the  Library  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Medical  Society. 

Dr.  Rush  thought  highly  of  John  Hunter,  but  damned  his 
brother  William,  with  faint  praise. 

Here  is  another  quotation  from  Dr.  Rush.  "Intermittent 
Fever,  may  be  cured  in  its  initial  stage  by  a  gentle  purgative. 
I  had  this,  Gentlemen,  from  the  Captain  of  a  Mihtary 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  NEW  YORK  173 

Company  during  the  Revolution,  who  caused  all  his  soldiers 
to  drink  a  dose  of  Sea  Water,  and  they  escaped  the  dys- 
entry." 

"Martha  Pass,  Gentlemen,  is  better  to  day.  The  air  in 
her  room  is,  however,  offensive,  and  I  have  ordered  it  to  be 
fumigated  with  muriatic  oxide  vapor." 

A  maniac  remembers  all  that  is  said  to  him,  a  delirious 
person,  nothing. 

After  ending  his  lecture  and  bowing  off  toward  the  door, 
Rush  would  often  turn  about  and  say  "One  Moment  Gentle- 
men, I  have  just  to  add,  that  one  Principle  in  Medicine  is 
worth  a  Volume  of  loose  disconnected  facts." 

With  the  following  summing  up  of  Dr.  Rush  by  my 
grandfather,  I  finish  what  he  had  to  say  concerning  this 
celebrated  man.  "His  great  forte  is  to  prove  everything  by 
a  string  of  analogies  like  Sancho  Panza's  Proverbs.  He 
never  attempts  fair  and  logical  reasoning  but  supports  his 
hypothesis  with  the  idle  talk  of  a  Nurse,  or  of  an  Old  Woman, 
or  of  a  Sea  Captain,  or  of  a  Lady  in  Philadelphia,  or  of  a 
Patient  in  the  Hospital.  Notwithstanding  which,  he  is  the 
ablest  practitioner  that  I  have  ever  met  with,  he  so  exactly 
points  out  the  Seat  and  the  State  of  the  Disease,  and  attacks 
it  with  such  Buonapartean  Skill  as  to  vanquish  it  at  once." 

Dr.  Coxe's  lectures  are  mentioned  but  slightly  in  Dr. 
Spalding's  Note  Book.  One  was  concerning  Thermome- 
ters. He  performed  some  experiments  which  went  off 
fairly  well.  He  produced  sound  by  burning  oxygen  in  a 
tube,  and  with  a  Burning  Glass  melted  metal  under  water. 
I  suppose  that  as  Dr.  Spalding  could  perform  all  these  ex- 
periments, himseff,  they  failed  to  interest  him,  and  he  passes 
them  by  without  much  comment. 

Barton's  Lectures  were  a  comminghng  of  Natural  History 
and  Materia  Medica.  Syphilis  succeeds  lepra  and  is  a 
modified  form  of  the  same  disease.  Gold  fishes  live  in  dis- 
tilled water.  Gum  arable  can  alone  sustain  fife  many  days. 
The  best  Digitalis  grows  in  the  shade.  Chmate  alone  has 
changed  the  negro's  skin.  If  he  had  been  born  in  a  mine, 
he  would  remain  white  until  he  exposed  himself  to  the  sun. 

Acetate  of  Lead  was  Barton's  favorite  remedy  and  com- 
bined with  opium,  was,  in  his  opinion  unexcelled.  "  Dr. 
Barton  takes  upon  himself,"  writes  Dr.  Spalding,  "the  merit 


174  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

of  introducing  this  Composition  and  for  all  that  I  know,"  he 
adds  in  a  foot  note,  "he  is  entitled  to  it."  Quassia  was 
named  after  a  negro  who  first  discovered  this  Bitter:  He 
was  created  a  Prince  by  the  Dutch,  and  made  a  great  show 
with  his  gay  uniform  and  cocked  hat. 

"London  Prescriptions  are  inordinately  long  in  order  to 
favor  the  apothecaries:"  Dr.  Barton  rarely  wrote  for  more 
than  two  remedies  in  the  same  prescription,  did  not  favor 
Bark,  but  mentioned  his  Paper  concerning  it,  in  Coxe's 
"Museum."  He  lectured  on  Porcupines  at  one  time;  "and 
seemed  much  interested  in  that  animal,"  writes  Dr.  Spald- 
ing; "  and  when  I  talked  with  him  about  it  after  lecture,  he 
begged  me  to  send  him  the  head  of  one,  or  if  possible,  a  live 
one  for  his  Open  Air  Garden."  The  space  between  the  eye- 
brows, the  Glabella,  indicates  Greatness.  Washington  had 
the  broadest  glabella  I  ever  saw. 

Dr.  Barton  often  eulogized  John  Brown  (1735-1781)1  the 
author  of  Brunonianism,  or  the  idea  that  disease  was  due  to 
debihty  and  should  be  stimulated,  not  bled. 

Dr.  Barton  told  us  of  a  parrot  belonging  to  Surgeon 
White,^  who  could  laugh,  talk,  cry  and  even  show  signs  of 
reasoning. 

Dr.  Spalding  was  also  present  when  Dr.  Barton  dehvered 
his  Eulogy  on  Dr.  James  Woodhouse  (1770-1809)  Pro- 
fessor of  Chemistry  in  the  University.  Woodhouse  served 
in  the  Indian  Wars  and  did  great  service  to  the  State  by 
demonstrating  the  commercial  value  of  coal. 

Dr.  Spalding's  interest  in  Anatomy  has  been  repeatedly 
mentioned  and  it  is  probable  that  his  chief  aim  in  visiting 
Philadelphia  was  to   put  himself   under  the  guidance  of 

1  Brown  was  a  man  of  prodigious  memory,  but  unhappily  endowed 
with  the  unfortunate  art  of  constantly  putting  his  colleagues  into  the 
wrong.  His  "Elementa  Medicinae"  made  a  stir  in  the  world.  Freder- 
ick the  Great  invited  Brown  to  his  court,  and  other  monarchs  conferred 
honors  upon  him.  Fortune  at  last  smiled  on  Brown  and  he  was  on  the 
way  to  riches  when  apoplexy  killed  him.  Few  physicians  have  created 
greater  strife  in  medicine  than  John  Brown,  the  son  of  a  weaver  of 
Berwickshire. 

2  Charles  White  (1728-1813)  the  owner  of  this  remarkable  bird  was 
Surgeon  to  the  Manchester  Infirmary,  and  by  his  original  papers  on 
obstetrics  revolutionized  that  branch  of  practice  in  England.  He  first 
demonstrated  Milk  Leg,  scientifically,  and  was  also  a  good  lithotomist. 
He  became  bhnd  in  1803,  and  the  parrot  cheered  him  in  his  lonely 
hours. 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  NEW  YORK  175 

Caspar  Wistar.  The  Note  Book  shows  that  he  acted  as 
Demonstrator  for  Wistar,  and  also  had  a  private  class  in 
Anatomy.  From  the  abundance  of  remarks  on  Wistar's 
lectures,  I  select  a  few. 

The  carotids  take  a  sharp  turn  in  the  temporal  bone  in 
order  to  break  the  force  of  the  current  rushing  into  the 
brain.  A  patient  totally  paralyzed  from  injury  to  the  spine 
could  speak  and  reason  perfectly.  Before  each  lecture  he 
invariably  asked  a  few  students  something  about  the  topics 
of  the  previous  one.  In  fractures  he  observed,  that  the 
Thumb;  erect  in  the  splint;  proved  that  the  pressure  is 
equal  on  both  bones  of  the  forearm.  Clubfoot  may  be  due  to 
an  abnormal  muscle  in  the  calf  of  the  leg.  When  you  dis- 
sect, hold  the  skin  tight,  and  follow  the  course  of  the  fibres 
of  the  muscles.  Beginners  will  start  in  on  the  muscles,  fol- 
low to  the  viscera,  continue  with  the  blood  vessels  and  end 
off  with  the  nerves. 

One  day  when  dissecting,  Dr.  Spalding  found  in  the  capsu- 
lar Hgament  of  the  shoulder  joint,  two  floating  cartilages.^ 
On  showing  them  to  Dr.  Wistar,  he  mentioned  them  in  his 
lecture  and  also  spoke  of  a  patient  who  could  voluntarily 
dislocate  both  humeri. 

In  lecturing  on  the  Larynx,  he  used  a  very  large  model 
which  made  every  description  plain. 

Dr.  Spalding  had  long  been  trying  to  inject  the  lymphatics, 
but  did  not  succeed  until  December  10,  1809,  when  he  wrote 
in  his  Note  Book  ''This  day  I  succeeded  in  injecting  a  lym- 
phatic with  quicksilver.  I  discovered  it  in  the  Saphena 
Vein,  just  below  the  knee,  introduced  the  pipe,  the  mercury 
ran  to  the  thigh,  where  an  unfortunate  slash  had  been  made 
and  the  lymphatic  wounded.  So  rejoiced  was  I  at  the  dis- 
covery, that  I  called  aloud  "Eureka,"  and  they  all  came 
and  looked  at  it. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  those  unique  Preparations  of 
the  Lymphatics,  which  made  Dr.  Spalding's  name  celebrated 
in  the  history  of  American  Anatomy. 

Dr.  Wistar  spoke  of  cryptic  tonsils,  and  claimed  that  they 
might  cause  diseases  elsewhere.  "Charity  begins  at  home," 
he  smilingly  said,   in  mentioning  the  Coronary  Arteries. 

1  These  cartilages  may  be  the  "Joint-Mice"  of  to-day,  and  are 
thought  to  be  due  to  fracture  of  the  condyles  of  long  bones  after  violent 
exercise. 


176  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"How  soon  they  are  sent  off  from  the  heart  to  nourish  that 
organ." 

Scurvy  is  due  alike  to  excessive  meat  or  to  too  many 
vegetables.  Death  from  a  blow  on  the  stomach,  or  large 
amount  of  spirits,  is  due  to  concussion  of  its  nerves.  "But 
this  explanation"  adds  Dr.  Spalding  "is  not  plain  to  me." 

At  another  dissection,  Dr.  Spalding  discovered  three  in- 
stances of  intussusception,  in  three  different  parts  of  the  in- 
testines, and  later  on  an  instance  in  which  six  inches  of  the 
intestine  had  sloughed  off,  and  been  evacuated,  yet  the 
patient  recovered  and  died  from  another  cause. 

Dr.  Wistar  mentioned  the  toxic  effects  of  bile,  and  Dr. 
Spalding  told  him,  later,  of  an  instance  in  which  a  moribund 
child  was  cured  by  an  emetic  which  evacuated  an  enormous 
amount  of  bile  from  the  stomach. 

"December  10,  1809"  Three  Hundred  and  Fifty  One 
students  were  present  at  Dr.  Wistar's  lecture  to-day,  for  I 
counted  them."  Amongst  the  friends  whom  Dr.  Spalding 
made  in  Philadelphia  was  John  Shelby^  "from  the  Back- 
woods of  Kentucky,"  son  of  Governor  Shelby  and  brother 
to  Sarah  Shelby  who  married  Ephraim  McDowell,  the  first 
American  Ovariotomist.  Together,  they  once  discovered  in  a 
child  a  left  Ureter  which  was  larger  than  the  large  intestine. 

Amongst  other  preparations  made  by  Dr.  Spalding  at 
this  time  was  one  of  the  Cranial  Nerves,  which  will  be 
mentioned  later  on. 

Dr.  Wistar  said,  that  when  in  London,  three  surgeons  had 
tried  to  introduce  a  trochar,  but  in  vain.  John  Hunter 
came  to  the  rescue  and  did  it  successfully.  Hunter  said  to 
me  "Know  well  your  arteries,  then  cut  boldly."  Wistar 
often  showed  us  on  the  dissecting  table,  specimens  of  bad 
surgery,  as  a  warning  to  operate  well;  or  not  at  all. 

After  Dr.  Dewees  had  finished  his  lecture,  he  talked  with 
me  a  long  while  on  Presentations.  He  had  delivered  5300 
women  and  had  only  twice  found  occasion  to  use  a  crochet. 
He  thinks  that  the  pain  of  parturition  is  due  to  civilization 
alone.  He  never  saw  a  child  born  alive  after  convulsions  in 
the  mother. 

1  John  Shelby  (1786-1859)  served  under  General  Jackson  as  an 
Army  Surgeon,  lost  an  eye  in  battle,  practiced  successfully  in  Nashville 
and  founded  a  Medical  School  which  still  goes  by  his  name. 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  NEW  YORK  177 

Bloodletting  often  saves  life  in  convulsions.  He  once 
bled  a  negress  100  ounces,  and  she  recovered. 

"I  am  satisfied,"  remarks  Dr.  Spalding  at  this  point, 
"that  we  of  New  England  lose  patients  by  delay  and  inert 
remedies."  "Attack  them  more  boldly,  hereafter,  shall  be 
my  motto." 

Dr.  James  spoke  of  vicarious  menstruation  from  the 
lungs,  and  scratches  and  showed  a  large  hydatid  cyst. 

Parturition,  says  Dr.  Dewees,  generally  begins  during  the 
hours  for  sleep.  He  told  us  how  to  talk  to  a  woman  with 
child,  and  how  if  she  refused  to  acknowledge  her  condition 
we  were  to  encourage  her  to  come  again.  He  spoke  of  a 
physician  in  a  lying  in  room  who  said  to  the  nurse:  "Take 
this  bloody  cloth  and  give  me  another."  This  boorish  re- 
mark cost  him  much  practice.  "Don't  degenerate  into  an 
old  woman,"  said  Dr.  Dewees.  "Let  the  nurse  do  the  cod- 
dhng  and  pillow  shaking.  Give  your  orders  plainly,  for  you 
are  in  charge  of  the  case  and  not  the  nurse."  "Never  mind 
the  Doctor,"  said  a  nurse  to  a  bashful  patient;  "he  is  only 
like  an  old  woman."  This  remark  overheard  by  the  phy- 
sician caused  him  to  cease  taking  charge  of  lying  in  women. 

Dr.  Chapman  lectured  chiefly  on  Presentation,  Touching 
and  use  of  the  Forceps.  Dr.  Dewees  was  the  most  enthu- 
siastic and  anecdotic  of  the  three  Obstetricians:  Chapman 
and  James  were  more  practical. 

Dr.  Caldwell  talked  in  flowery  style  on  Animal  Life,  and 
after  much  beautiful  language  he  ended  in  this  way:  And 
yet  after  aU  that  we  can  say,  '  'Life  is  Life."  He  daily  argued 
and  manifested  his  spite  against  Dr.  Rush,  and  Brunonianism, 
talked  on  the  Vitahty  of  the  Blood  and  insisted  that  debihty 
was  not  the  cause  of  disease,  but  the  Result. 

Dr.  Dorsey  always  walked  the  Wards  with  his  uncle,  Dr. 
Physick,  often  stood  on  the  platform  whilst  other  lectures 
were  going  on,  and  occasionally  gave  us  a  lecture  of  his  own. 
His  talk  on  Bronchotomy  was  clever.  "In  penetrating 
wounds,  apply  the  dressing  so  that  it  cannot  faU  into  the 
cavity."  In  a  gunshot  wound  of  the  thorax  he  bled  the 
patient  to  180  ounces,  in  twelve  days  yet  he  made  a  good 
recovery.  A  bayonet  wound  of  the  abdomen  was  fatal,  be- 
cause in  Dr.  Dorsey's  opinion,  the  Hquor  which  the  patient  had 
just  then  been  drinking  had  run  into  the  abdominal  cavity. 


178  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Several  evening  lectures  on  chemistry  by  Dr.  Parrish  and 
Dr.  Rogers  ^  were  also  attended,  but  no  notes  of  them  remain. 

i^fter  four  successful  months  of  study  in  Philadelphia,  Dr. 
Spalding  went  to  New  York  and  walked  the  Wards  of  the 
Hospital  with  Dr.  Valentine  Mott  ^  then  beginning  his  ex- 
traordinary career. 

Just  home  from  London,  as  he  walked  the  wards  with  Dr. 
Spalding  at  his  side,  he  remarked:  "Sir  Astley''^  beheves 
this,  "Mr.  Chne"^  suggests  that,  "Benjamin  Bell"  thinks 

1  Patrick  Kerr  Rogers  (1762-1828),  a  brilliant  Irishman,  whilst 
living  in  Dublin,  was  foolish  enough  to  print  some  reflections  on  the 
Government  and  had  to  run  for  his  life.  He  obtained  his  medical 
Degree  at  Philadelphia,  lectured  privately  on  Chemistry,  established 
a  Loaning  Medical  Library  and  wrote  papers  of  value  on  "Silver 
Nitrate"  and  on  "Tobacco,  medicinally  used,"  yet  despite  his  industry 
he  was  always  in  financial  straits.  He  moved  to  Baltimore,  obtained 
success,  rose  in  the  profession  and  was  elected  Professor  of  Natural 
Philosophy  and  Chemistry  at  William  and  Mary  College. 

2  Dr.  Mott  (1783-1865)  was  the  leading  surgeon  of  New  York  and 
probably  of  America,  for  many  years.  He  had  great  advantages  of 
study  at  home  and  abroad,  and  performed  every  operation  that  sur- 
gery then  accepted.  After  phenomenal  successes  he  retired  to  Europe 
for  some  years,  yet  on  returning,  he  again  dominated  American  Surgery. 
No  one  came  near  him  for  skill.  No  one  dared  to  follow  his  boldness 
in  surgery.  He  ligated  the  innominate,  amputated  at  the  hip  joint, 
and  removed  the  clavicle  with  an  immense  osteoma  attached.  He 
performed  200  successful  hthotomies,  but  his  medico  literary  achieve- 
ments were  trifling. 

5  Sir  Astley  Cooper  (1768-1841)  filled  the  largest  space  in  the  public 
eye  of  any  surgeon  of  his  time.  Unmanageable  as  a  boy,  he  gradually 
came  to  his  senses,  and  was  early  chosen  a  Surgeon  to  Guy's.  He  was 
known  everjrwhere  by  his  "Dislocations  and  Fractures."  He  was, 
however,  a  failure,  as  a  lecturer  until  he  threw  Theories  to  the  winds, 
and  confined  his  remarks  to  Clinical  Cases,  in  which  he  fascinated  all, 
with  his  wealth  of  illustration.  He  was  one  of  the  handsomest  men  that 
ever  lived,  had  a  musical  and  penetrating  voice,  and  at  the  end  of  a 
joke,  he  would  laugh,  "Ha  Ha,"  and  rub  his  nose  with  the  back  of  his 
hand.  This  man  dominated  the  world  of  surgery,  medicine,  and  medi- 
cal law  for  years,  and  his  works  were  quoted  and  upheld  as  The  TRUTH 
in  every  malpractice  suit  of  the  era  in  which  he  flourished.  As  a 
Jury  Lawyer  in  Maine  once  said  to  twelve  men  whom  he  wanted  to 
convince;  "Why  Gentlemen,  when  the  KING  of  ENGLAND  is  sick, 
he  sends  for  Sir  Astley! "  and  he  won  his  case. 

*  Henry  CUne  (1759-1827)  was  an  industrious,  patient,  and  per- 
sistent surgeon,  who  made  as  much  as  $50,000  a  year,  and  as  Sir  Astley 
said,  he  might  have  saved  something,  if  he  hadn't  wasted  it  on  Farms. 
He  wrote  but  little  and  during  the  French  Revolution  was  on  the  most 
friendly  terms  with  the  ringleaders. 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  NEW  YORK  179 

thus;  and  so  on,  until  the  young  Doctor  from  Portsmouth 
may  have  felt  that  this  was  as  good  as  seeing  those  great 
men  in  person. 

During  his  stay  in  New  York,  Dr.  Spalding  one  day  made 
this  little  note.  ''Dr.  Mott  was  very  kind  to  me  this  morn- 
ing, showed  me  new  instruments  from  London,  and  some 
especial  trephines;  he  operated  twice,  especially  for  me, 
and  then  he  finished  his  day's  work  with  a  lecture  on 
Varicocele." 

The  last  item  in  this  historical  Note  Book  shows  the  differ- 
ence in  popularity  between  Philadelphia  and  New  York  as 
medical  centers;  for  there  were  351  students  in  Philadelphia 
and  only  100  at  both  schools  in  New  York. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Events  and  Letters  Received  in  1809-10. 

Early  one  morning  when  in  Philadelphia,  Dr.  Spalding  re- 
ceived a  note  from  Capt.  William  Yeaton,  once  of  Portsmouth, 
now  of  Alexandria,  Virginia,  to  the  effect  that  he  had 
brought  from  Portsmouth  from  Mr.  Edward  Parry  ^  of  that 
place  some  mineral  for  analysis,  that  it  had  been  mostly 
ground  to  powder  during  the  long  voyage,  and  that  what 
was  left  could  be  found  at  the  City  Hotel,  with  the  bar 
tender. 

When  the  ore  was  found  in  so  unfit  condition  Dr.  Spalding 
wrote  to  Mr.  Parry  and  soon  received  an  answer  to  this 
effect. 

"Portsmouth,  Dec.  28,  1809.  Dear  Sir:  I  was  sorry  to  find  the 
ore  I  sent  by  Captain  Yeaton  got  loose  in  his  trunk,  and  I  am 
afraid  that  you  did  not  get  a  fair  sample  of  it.  I  should  have  sent 
you  a  box  of  it,  if  there  was  a  vessel  bound  for  Philadelphia,  but 
there  will  be  none  these  two  months.  You  observed  in  your  letter 
that  Mons'r  Goddon^  would  annalyze  it  for  15  or  20  Dollars.  I 
wish  you  would  inform  me  what  it  would  cost  to  bring  it  to  a 
MetaUic  Substance  in  such  manner  as  I  could  have  a  small  Bar  of 
a  few  inches  long,  and  what  quantity  of  ore  would  be  needed  for 
that  purpose. 

Mr.  Parsons  of  York  says  that  this  Ore  is  more  valuable  than  cop- 
per and  enclosed  you  will  find  a  sample  of  it,  after  being  I^urnt,  which 
he  calls  Venezzian  Red  Paint,  which  I  wish  you  would  show  to  some 
eminent  painter  and  ascertain  its  value.  You  will  particularly 
oblige  me  in  being  particular  to  find  out  the  real  value  of  this  Ore, 
and,  if  it  should  be  in  your  power  to  find  out  the  best  method  how 
to  proceed  to  bring  it  to  be  productive,  you  would  confer  an  Obh- 
gation,  On  Your  Friend  and  Humble  Servant  Edward  Parry." 

The  following  entertaining  letters  from  Rev.  Philander 
Chase  were  also  received  during  the  visit  to  Philadelphia. 

'  Edward  Parry  a  merchant  of  Welsh  descent  was  a  son  of  a  former 
Royal  Mast  Agent  at  Portsmouth. 

*  Mens.  Goddon,  was  an  analyzing  Chemist  and  Lecturer  in  Phila- 
delphia. 

180 


EVENTS  AND  LETTERS  RECEIVED  IN  1809-10    181 

New  Orleans,  Dec.  2,  1809.  My  dear  Friend :  Your  favor  came 
to  hand  about  2  weeks  ago,  and  as  soon  as  my  cares  have  per- 
mitted, I  now  give  it  an  answer.  I  am  sorry  you  had  no  oppor- 
tunity of  conversing  with  my  worthy  friend  Scott.^  I  know  you 
would  have  liked  him,  and  that  he  would  have  been  proud  and" 
happy  in  being  acquainted  with  you,  and  in  communicating  to  me 
those  nameless  minutiae  of  life  which  are  so  gratifying  to  an  old 
friend,  and  neighbor.  Captain  Seward  ^  did  not  call  on  me;  the 
packet  of  which  he  was  bearer  containing  your  FAVOURS,  being 
lodged  in  the  Post  Office  at  the  mouth  of  our  River.  Your  Bill  of 
Mortality  I  think  a  good  and  useful  thing;  to  the  curious,  and  to 
men  of  your  profession  particularly  so.  The  Oration,^  especially 
its  Notes,  afforded  me  much  amusement.  But,  who  is  your  Grand 
Chaplain?  You  did  not  remember  my  being  so  much  out  of  the 
world,  and  that  an  answer  to  this  question  would  have  been  a  neces- 
sary piece  of  information  to  give  me. 

Your  mentioning  your  visit  to  the  place  of  our  Nativity  affected 
me  more  than  from  the  manner  or  style  you  seemed  aware  of.  The 
remembrance  of  those  innocent,  healthful  and  sportful  meetings  of 
which  you  speak  serve  but  to  deepen  the  shades  of  the  dismal 
prospects,  which  in  this  land  of  Vice  and  death  are  continually  be- 
fore me.  I  felt  the  contrast  and  still  feel  it.  This  you  can  easily 
imagine  when  I  tell  you  that  om-  City  was  never  known  to  be  more 
unhealthy;  that  Mrs.  Chase  and  myseff  had  little  else  to  do  but  to 
attend  on  the  sick,  the  dying  and  the  dead,  till  we  ourselves  were 
seized  with  the  dreadful  Malady. 

Who  would  not,  under  circumstances  like  these  feel  the  full 
force  of  that  contrast  which  your  gentle  words  raised  in  our  view! 
So  many  of  my  friends  and  warm  supporters  have  died  and  moved 
from  the  Country,  so  many  more  have  failed  by  the  effects  of  our 
national  embarrassment,  that  I  must  no  longer  think  it  practicable 
to  pursue  the  object  on  which  I  was  sent  hither.  The  thing  is 
fixed,  and  I  shall  return  to  the  Northern  States  in  the  Spring.  The 
Clergy  in  N.  Y.,  are  for  placing  me  in  N.  Y.,  but  all  engagements  of 
this  nature  I  think  I  shall  at  present  dechne.  I  love  my  native 
State,  above  all,  my  native  Town.  The  people  there,  press  me, 
and  did  I  not  think  the  thing  burdensome,  I  should  accept  their 
offer. 

As  you  will  have  abundance  of  time  to  write  me  an  answer  be- 

1  Mr.  Scott  was  clergyman  from  New  Orleans. 

2  Captain  John  Seaward  was  a  revolutionary  veteran,  a  sea  captain 
and  finally  a  Customs  Officer  at  Portsmouth.  He  lived  until  1845,  was 
over  85  when  he  died  and  was  the  last  man  in  the  town  to  wear  his 
hair  in  a  Queue. 

3  The  "Oration"  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Mr.  Richards  at  the  laying 
of  the  Comer  Stone  of  St.  John's  in  1808. 


182  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

fore  April,  the  month  fixed  for  my  departure,  I  beg  you  will  not 
neglect  me.  Tell  me  all  the  news,  how  your  Church  flourishes;  how 
goes  the  wheel  of  State:  I  think  I  shall,  if  it  please  God,  be  in 
Cornish  about  the  months  of  June,  July  and  August.  Can't  we 
contrive  to  meet  there?  When  I  am  again  settled  it  will  be  for  life. 
Ever  your  sincere  Friend  Philan'r  Chase." 

In  his  second  letter  Mr.  Chase  writes: 

"New  Orleans,  Jan.  29,  1810.  My  dear  Friend:  Capt.  Seaward 
has  at  length  done  me  the  honor  of  visiting  and  dinmg  with  me, 
and  although  I  wrote  you  in  answer  to  your  favor,  by  him,  I  can- 
not refrain  from  telling  you  again  that  I  am  in  health  and  prosperity. 
The  time  for  my  visiting  my  native  soil  is  fast  approaching,  when, 
among  my  sincere  friends  I  hope  to  embrace  yourself.  God  grant 
I  may  find  you  in  health  and  happiness! 

My  brother  Dudley  ^  informs  me  that  my  sons  are  quite  grown, 
and  much  improved  in  literature.  How  I  long  to  fold  them  to  my 
bosom,  and  give  them  a  father's  blessing.  Our  winter  is  mild,  and 
although  by  the  date,  in  the  depth  of  winter,  the  trees  are  putting 
forth,  and  the  flowers  in  blossom.  The  crops  of  sugar  and  cotton 
of  our  land  have  been  and  are  uncommonly  good,  this  season,  and 
were  it  not  for  the  restrictions  on  our  trade,  we  should  be  unusually 
prosperous. 

What  shall  we  do  with  a  War  with  Great  Britain?  May  God 
defend  and  watch  over  our  beloved  country  for  good!  I  believe  I 
informed  you  in  my  last  of  the  great  mortality  of  our  past  sum- 
mer. It  is  generally  believed  to  have  been  caused  by  the  uncommon 
overflowing  of  our  River,  joined  with  the  intense  heat  of  the  suc- 
ceeding season.  Happy  are  you,  who  live  in  a  healthy  climate. 
You  know  not,  nor  can  scarcely  conceive,  our  sufferings;  death 
staring  us  in  the  face  and  no  retreat.  Our  people  too  wicked  to 
hope  for  mercy,  and  too  hardened  to  repent.    Yours  P.  Chase." 

A  pleasant  letter  also  came  from  William  Neil,  a  genial 
merchant  of  Portsmouth. 

"Portsmouth,  8,  Dec.  1809.  Dear  Sir:  It  gave  me  much  pleasure 
to  see  a  line  from  you  handed  to  me  to  day,  still  more  to  hear  that 
you  are  satisfied  with  your  journey,  and  that  the  object  you  had  in 
view;  viz;  Improvement  in  Medical  Matters  is  worth  your  pur- 
suit. I  am  not  surprised  at  the  politeness  of  the  Professors  in 
sending  you  their  tickets.  I  am  more  astonished  that  one  of  the 
number  omitted  that  mark  of  respect.    Tell  me;   is  he  an  Irish- 

1  Dudley  Chase  (1771-1846)  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1791, 
practiced  as  a  lawyer  in  Randolph,  Vormont,  and  after  a  long  career  at 
the  Bar  became  Chief  Justice,  and  then  a  Senator. 


EVENTS  AND  LETTERS  RECEIVED  IN  1809-10     183 

man!?  The  diversified  practice  you  have  the  means  of  seeing,  will 
no  doubt  enlarge  your  Ideas,  even  if  it  should  not  augment  your 
medical  skill,  which,  whatever  you  might  think  was  never  doubted 
here.  I  wish  to  know  when  you  return.  Our  politicians  or  rather 
our  Peripatetics  who  discuss  Politics  at  the  Corners,  are  very  high 
at  present.  War,  War,  with  the  English!  Down  with  the  friends 
of  England,  etc.  Things,  however,  look  serious,  if  not  gloomy  at 
present,  and  another  embargo  is  dreaded.  For  deaths,  marriages, 
and  other  local  news  I  refer  you  to  your  other  friends,  not  being 
much  conversant  with  Town  News.  I  must,  however,  mention 
the  Death  of  Mr.  Chauncy,^  our  good  old  friend.  Yours  with 
Respect,  Wm.  Neil." 

On  the  same  day  Dr.  Pierrepont  also  wrote  the  News. 

"Portsmouth,  Dec'r  8,  1809.  Dear  Friend:  To  day  a  letter  from 
you  was  handed  to  me  by  the  kindness  of  Mrs.  S.  which  to  me  was 
a  very  welcome  circumstance.  Up  to  the  present  period  of  your 
absence  you  appear  to  be  in  good  spirits,  among  good  friends,  and 
I  beheve  enjoying  some  literary  advantages  not  to  be  met  with 
here. 

From  the  quantity  of  matter  and  the  frankness  with  which  you 
communicate  it,  I  should  believe  you  do  not  think  me  susceptible 
of  envy,  and  at  any  rate  I  will  so  conclude  at  present.  Although 
you  know  I  deride  the  political  distinctions  of  society,  how  do  you 
know  but  my  heart  rankles  at  your  literary  feasts,  where  all  the 
various  charms  of  Science  solicit  you  to  taste?  I  am  pleased  to 
find  you  estimate  this  journey  a  most  fortunate  circumstance,  and 
that  the  Philadelphians  are  gratified,  and  take  an  interest  in  your 
visit  and  please  to  COAX  them  to  develop  all  that  can  be  developed 
at  London  and  Edinburgh. 

The  venerable  Chauncy  is  dead.  That  cursed  case  you  mention 
was  thus:  When  I  arrived  at  the  house  the  woman  was  very  com- 
posedly in  bed,  having  been  delivered  of  a  dead  child.  As  I  learn 
from  the  woman,  it  was  a  foot-presentation;  the  child  was  rather 
small  and  puny. 

We  have  nothing  essentially  important  in  the  news  way.  To 
day,  the  commercial  class  are  dreading  an  embargo;  hurry  and 
trepidation  drive  them  to  and  fro  about  town,  such  of  them  as  have 
vessels  about  to  sail.    I  have  attended  your  patients.    We  have 

^  Charles  Chauncy  (1729-1809)  was  a  descendant  of  President 
Chauncy  of  Harvard,  and  obtained  at  that  University  his  degree.  He 
was  for  a  long  time  confidential  clerk  to  his  Uncle,  Sir  William  Pepperell 
of  Kittery.  Mr.  Chauncy  was  a  very  small  man,  but  very  erect,  alert, 
full  of  wit,  and  highly  esteemed.  He  wrote  a  great  deal  for  the  news- 
papers and  early  American  Magazines,  and  in  that  way  obtained  a  wide 
acquaintance. 


184  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

had  no  Society  Meetings,  no  dissections,  and  indeed  it  is  as  torpid 
and  as  murky  in  this  place  as  in  the  center  of  a  nine  days  forest, 
nothing  to  rouse  the  spirits  but  that  damning  phrase:  Pay  me 
what  thou  owest.  It  is  a  subject  of  great  WONDERMENT  what 
has  induced  you  to  take  this  journey.  Some  say  you  have  an  ap- 
pointment. Others  say  you  think  of  removing,  and  if  informed 
correctly,  they  are  astonished  at  the  Cause.  These  cold  hearted 
fellows  would  not  give  their  hundred  dollars  for  the  peerless  mind 
of  a  Newton  or  the  unrivalled  erudition  of  a  Bayle.  Enquire  the 
opinion  of  the  PMladelpliians  of  "Sinclair's  Code  of  Longevity," 
and  conclude  how  it  will  do  for  our  Library.  From  his  hterary 
connections,  and  intercourse,  I  should  think  it  good.  Be  so  good 
as  to  secure  for  me  the  Edinburgh  Journal  for  years  1807-S-9. 
Although  I  have  3  Nos  of  1807,  yet  it  will  break  the  set  unless  the 
Volume  of  that  year  is  purchased.  In  my  next,  I  shall  enclose 
cash,  or  Bills  rather,  for  the  payment.    Your  friend,  James  H. 

PlERREPONT." 

In  his  next  communication  Dr.  Pierrepont  sends  additional 
items : 

"Portsmouth,  Feb'y  12,  1810.  Friend  Spalding:  I  have  glad- 
ness of  heart  that  you  can  inform  me,  yourself,  that  the  journey  to 
Philadelphia  is  not  like  to  disappoint  you.  You  seem  to  have 
divided  your  studies  so  discreetly  that  there  seems  nothing  for  a 
friend  to  advise,  only  that  you  do  not  let  that  ardent  disposition 
to  obtain  information  diminish.  You  undoubtedly  pass  time 
pleasantly  in  Philadelpliia,  and  it  appears  you  can  investigate  al- 
most every  object  contemplated  in  a  London  Hospital,  unless  per- 
haps a  more  perfect  research  into  the  lymphatics.  I  rejoice  that 
you  contemplate  bringing  home  some  preparations  a  la  mode  of 
Philadelpliia.  By  the  way,  ours  are  safe  in  the  BOOK  CASE, 
which  appears  well,  and  will  contain  a  handsome  assortment.  In 
one  of  the  doors  there  is  a  knot  larger  than  I  would  have  put  into 
the  work,  had  I  been  able  to  attend  to  the  workman,  but  I  have 
been  a  victim  to  a  violent  inflammation  in  the  arm  from  venesec- 
tion, soon  after  which  operation  I  used  the  arm,  and  of  course 
twisted  out  the  little  plug  of  agglutinated  blood  and  Ijanph  which 
filled  the  Orifice.  The  inflammation  ran  to  high  degree,  occupying 
the  whole  extremity,  but  it  at  length  subsided.  I  had  had  for  4 
or  5  months  past,  some  obstruction  about  the  heart,  and  lately 
attended  with  an  intermitting  pulse.  Supposing  it  might  proceed 
possibly  from  a  plethora  I  determined  on  Venesection  (with  these 
results). 

We  have  had  little  to  do  in  this  place,  and  I  believe  you  could 
not  have  spent  your  time  more  usefully,  for  the  pecuniary  benefit 
here  would  have  been  nothing  worth  boasting  of.    I  have  received 


EVENTS  AND  LETTERS  RECEIVED  IN  1809-10     185 

3rd  Vol.  of  BeU  "On  Tumors"  which  is  all  that  has  been  imported 
for  our  society.  I  wish  we  had  Fordyce's^  "Dissertations  on 
Fever."    Please  to  think  of  it  when  in  New  York. 

I  have  noticed  in  "The  Anthology,"  that  Johnson's  Dictionary 
is  to  be  printed  in  Philadelphia;  please  to  inquire  into  this,  also, 
in  your  rambles  over  the  City.  I  enclose  some  money  to  pay  for 
the  "Edinburgh  Journal,"  but  cannot  tell  whether  it  is  $6  or  $9. 
If  the  former,  I  will  pay  the  other  to  Mr.  Taft.  I  believe  Cabanis,^ 
"Sketches"  is  a  Treatise  of  merit.  If  you  meet  with  it,  notice  it, 
and  think  if  our  Society  will  relish  it.  Oin"  District  medical  meet- 
ing was  celebrated  as  usual,  and  eleven  members  were  present.  I 
read  a  Grand  Dissertation,  which  you  will  not  doubt.  Drs.  Dwight 
and  Ranney  are  appointed  to  read  at  the  next  meeting.  Our 
accounts^  "are  too  extravagant  to  be  allowed."  If  you  visit 
Washington,  deride  this  paltry  spirit  of  Oeconomy!  Yet,  I  wish 
you  to  return  sooner  than  you  will  be  able  in  that  case,  for  I  assure 
you  it  will  afford  much  pleasure  to  see  you  "Face  to  Face."  Our 
little  Anatomical  Institution  must  become  highly  valuable,  to  our- 
selves, at  least;  must  tend  to  concentrate  our  mutual  love  for 
science. 

I  am  with  esteem.  Your  Friend,  James  H.  Pierrepont." 

The  following  note  signed  Joshua  Brackett  is  from  a 
namesake  of  the  elder  Joshua,  now  dead.  The  younger 
man  practiced  in  Portsmouth  until  1817,  when  I  lose  trace 
of  him 

"Portsmouth,  N.  H.  Feb.  1810.  Dear  Su-:  You  are  daily  en- 
riching your  fund  of  knowledge,  by  experience,  and  yet  according 
to  promise  you  have  never  informed  me  of  your  reception,  oppor- 
tunities, progress,  or  friends,  which  has  anxiously  been  expected. 
Delay  no  longer!  The  other  day  I  saw  your  patient,  whose  eye  has 

1  George  Fordyce  (1736-1802)  studied  with  CuUen  and  with  Albinus 
at  Ley  den,  and  lectured  in  London.  His  "Notes  on  the  Temperature 
of  the  Human  Body"  have  much  value.  He  preached  "One  Meal  a 
day,"  which  he  ate  in  this  way;  At  4  p.m.  he  went  to  Dolly's  Chop 
House  and  the  servant  put  on  the  table  a  tankard  of  ale,  a  bottle  of 
Port,  and  |  pint  of  Brandy.  Generally  half  a  broiled  chicken,  and 
1^  pounds  of  Steak  were  provided  with  vegetables  and  a  Tart.  Over 
this  Meal  Fordyce  daUied  until  5.45  when  he  set  off  for  his  Chemical 
Lecture. 

2  Pierre  George  Cabanis  (1757-1808)  a  Senator  of  France  and  the 
physician  of  Mirabeau,  did  a  great  deal  for  the  Hospitals  and  Medical 
Schools  of  France  during  the  Revolution,  wrote  on  "Medical  Philos- 
ophy;" "The  Immortality  of  the  Soul,"  and  on  "  Mirabeau  during  his 
last  illness." 

3  "Our  accounts  "  were  for  services  rendered  to  the  wounded  at  Fort 
Constitution. 


186  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

taken  a  stand  from  which  as  you  may  well  suppose  it  will  not  de- 
part. It  is  much  diminished  in  size,  and  exliibits  a  great  dis- 
figuration. She  wishes  to  have  a  false  one.  I  wish  you  to  procure 
the  materials,  and  you  shall  insert  it  at  your  return.  Your  Humble 
Servant  Joshua  Brackett,    To  Dr.  Spalding;  vel  Sangrado."  ^ 

If  Dr.  Spalding  forgot  Dr.  Brackett  he  did  not  forget  to 
tell  Dr.  Smith  the  news  from  Philadelphia;  and  was  re- 
warded with  the  following  reply. 

"Hanover,  Feb.  13,  1810.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  received  a  letter 
from  3'ou  since  you  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  which  I  should  have 
answered  before,  but  much  business  together  with  a  little  bad 
luck  has  kept  my  head  and  hand  busy  for  some  time  past.  But  as 
I  now  have  obtained  a  Truce  for  a  time,  I  will  be  a  more  punctual 
correspondent  for  the  future.  Toward  the  last  of  our  last  Course 
of  Lectures,  I  contracted  with  a  certain  person  to  go  to  Boston  to 
procure,  if  possible,  a  Cadaver,  But,  instead  of  going  to  Boston, 
he  went  to  Enfield,  as  it  appears,  and  found  a  subject,  which  was 
taken  by  an  Officer,  when  about  half  dissected.  The  circumstance 
made  a  prodigious  bustle  for  a  time,  and  gave  me  great  disquietude, 
but  I  beheve  we  shall  survive  the  accident  without  material  in- 
jury, either  personal  or  to  the  Institution. 

I  should  have  been  glad  to  have  taken  your  advice  and  come  to 
Philadelphia  and  spent  part  of  the  Winter  there,  but  the  circum- 
stance above  narrated,  with  my  usual  concerns  prevented  it.  I 
think,  however,  I  shall  visit  that  City  in  the  course  of  the  next 
winter.  I  wish,  you  to  procure  for  me  a  Gorget  for  cutting  for  the 
stone,  according  to  the  most  improved  plans,  such  an  one  as  Dr. 
Physick  will  recommend.  Though  I  have  operated  for  the  four 
last  times  with  success,  I  suspect  my  gorgets  are  not  right.  I 
have  one  according  to  Mr.  Cline's  plan,  and  two  according  to 
Monro.2  I  wish  also  that  you  would  make  diligent  inquiry  of  Dr. 
Physick  respecting  his  mode  of  operating  on  the  eyes;  what  kind 
of  instrument  he  uses;  and  everything  else  which  will  be  interest- 
ing to  me. 

I  am  with  sentiments  of  Esteem,  your  friend  and  servant,  Nathan 
Smra." 

*  Sangrado  was  a  fanciful  name  given  to  Dr.  Spalding  for  his  learn- 
ing. It  came  from  a  Spanish  Romance,  and  was  copied  later  in  Gil 
Bias. 

*  Alexander  Monro  (1762-1817)  was  the  second  of  that  name.  He 
studied  with  his  Father  and  abroad,  where  his  acquaintance  with 
Meckel  of  "Meckel's  Ganglion"  fame,  led  him  to  study  finer  anatomy. 
"The  Foramen  of  Monro"  is  his.  Monro,  like  other  physicians, 
owned  a  farm,  but  unlike  other  Medical  Farmers,  he  returned  to  town 
at  night,  subject  to  the  calls  of  his  patients. 


EVENTS  AND  LETTERS  RECEIVED  IN  1809-10     187 

Among  the  early  letters  which  Dr.  Spalding  received  after 
his  return  from  Philadelphia  was  the  following  from  Dr. 
Noyes. 

"Newburyport,  July  25,  1810.  Friend  Spalding:  Thou  art  wel- 
come to  send  for  a  BUI  of  Mortality  as  often  as  thou  vnit  by  so  fair 
a  messenger.  But  will  they  come?  Yes  Sir,  in  future  they  shall 
come,  or  rather  go  to  you.  Verily  I  thought  that  I  had  sent  you 
one,  long  ago;  long  before  the  calling  of  Miss  Jackson.  I  think 
I  sent  by  Mrs.  .  .  .  Plague  on  it.  I  have  forgotten  her  name, 
but  that  is  no  matter,  for  she  promised  to  dehver  it  to  you.  I  sup- 
pose the  record  of  Marriages  at  the  bottom  excited  her  desires  for 
I  think  the  hst  of  deaths  could  not  tempt  her  to  retain  it.  I  have 
not  sent  my  BUls  of  Mortahty  by  maU,  of  late,  for  our  Post  Master 
demanded  letter-postage,  and  that,  with  the  envelope  would  be 
more  than  they  are  worth.  But,  what  am  I  writing?  An 
APOLOGY  for  inattention  to  a  FRIEND  who  could  pass  by  my 
door  four  or  five  times  as  you  have  without  calling!  I  can  add  no 
more:  the  messenger  has  called  for  the  letter:  so  you  must  take 
this,  or  nothing.    Yours  etc.,  N.  Notes." 

The  context  of  the  appended  note  from  Dr.  Dorsey  shows 
that  Dr.  Spalding  had  asked  him  for  powders  and  plaster 
but  had  failed  to  receive  them,  owing  to  lack  of  a  messenger. 
When,  therefore,  Mr.  Samuel  Hazard,^  a  resident  of  Phila- 
delphia was  setting  off  for  Boston,  Dr.  Dorsey  sent  by  him 
this  note  and  the  plaster. 

"Philadelphia,  6th  Aug.  1810.  Dear  Sir:  After  so  long  neglect- 
ing to  reply  to  your  favor  of  22nd  of  May,  you  may  perhaps  sup- 
pose that  I  have  forgotten  it.  This  I  beg  to  assure  you  is  not  the 
case.  An  unavoidable  occurrence  prevented  me  from  sending  the 
plaster  in  time  for  your  messenger  who  left  the  town  the  day  after 
I  received  your  letter.  Since  that  time  I  have  had  no  opportunity 
of  forwarding  it  until  the  present  which  I  hope  will  prove  a  safe 
and  speedy  one.  The  "Antimonial  Powders"  are  prepared  in 
such  a  variety  of  ways,  that  I  know  not,  without  particular  in- 
structions, how  to  order  them.  If  you  will  take  the  trouble  to 
specify  the  formula,  I  will  have  them  forwarded  to  you  as  soon  as 
an  opportimity  offers.  I  rejoice  to  learn  of  your  success  in  the 
operations  you  have  performed;  may  it  ever  continue!  Accept 
my  thanks  for  the  Bill  of  Mortahty  you  were  kind  enough  to  send 
me,  and  beheve  me,  very  respectfully  your  friend,  J.  S.  Dorset." 

^  Mr.  Hazard  was  a  son  of  a  former  Postmaster  General,  and  after 

traveUng  abroad,  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  compiHng  "Registers" 
and  "Annals"  of  Pennsylvania. 


188  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

The  little  note  from  Professor  Silliman,  recalls  a  long  lost 
Memoir  by  Dr.  Spalding. 

"New  Haven,  Aug.  10,  1810.  Dear  Sir:  It  was  not  till  to-day 
that  I  received  your  favour  which  was  intended  to  accompany 
your  Memoir  on  Meteoric  Stone,  wliich  it  seems  you  intended  me 
the  honour  of  sending  me.  I  have  to  regret  that  an  unfortunate 
accident  has  deprived  me  of  the  pleasure  of  receiving  it.  Dr. 
Perkins  will  explain  the  matter.  I  need  not  say  how  much  I  regret 
the  misfortune.  Should,  however,  this  copy  be  finally  lost,  I 
trust  we  shall  still  see  the  Memoir;  in  the  Transactions  of  the 
Philosophical  Society. 

You  will  find  a  paper  on  mineral  waters  and  their  artificial 
preparation  in  the  appendix  of  the  new  edition  of  Kenney's  Chem- 
istry, now  publishing  in  Boston  by  Wm.  Andrews.  I  am  Sir,  Re- 
spectfully yours,  B.  Silliman." 

We  are  now  introduced  to  a  new  acquaintance  of  Dr. 
Spalding's,  Dr.  Benjamin  Clapp,  who  obtained  his  degree  of 
M.B.,  at  Dartmouth  in  1805,  practiced  in  Gloucester,  Mass- 
achusetts, and  was  now  studying  in  Philadelphia  where  he 
was  graduated  M.D.,  in  1810.  He  settled  in  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  and  died  there  in  1821,  after  a  successful 
career. 

From  Philadelphia  he  wrote  this  valuable  informatory 
letter. 

"August  19,  1810.  My  Friend:  Your  communication  was  duly 
rec'd,  and  gave  your  friends  much  pleasure  in  the  perusal.  I  im- 
mediately purchased  the  sticking  plaster  as  you  requested,  at  1 
dollar  a  pound.  Dr.  Coxe  has  lately  sold  out  his  medicines  and 
the  other  Doctor  had  left  the  Hospital,  consequently  I  did  not 
apply  to  either  of  them,  but  paid  for  it  myself.  Yesterday  I  re- 
ceived your  second  note,  and  am  now  sorry  that  I  purchased  so 
soon,  but  I  presume  that  you  will  find  a  want  of  it,  and  it  cer- 
tainly comes  very  cheap.  I  have  seen  Dr.  Dorsey  and  he  informed 
me  that  he  would  send  half  a  dozen  copies  of  Cooper's  Dictionary 
to  Charles  Pierce,  for  sale,  and  yours  will  be  among  them.  There 
are  no  medical  books  of  importance  out  this  summer,  except  the 
2d  Volume  of  Astley  Cooper,  and  that  is  not  to  be  sold  at  present. 
It  is  healthy  in  this  city  for  the  season.  The  Cholera  Infantum  is 
the  only  disease  that  has  made  much  progress  for  the  two  last 
months,  and  that  has  been  very  fatal;  the  deaths  in  the  City  and 
Liberties  have  been  from  50  to  60  a  week. 

The  Professors  and  families  are  well.  Dr.  Barton  has  returned 
from  his  tour  in  Virginia.    Dr.  Wistar  is  as  poUte  as  usual.    Dr. 


EVENTS  AND  LETTERS  RECEIVED  IN  1809-10     189 

Rush  and  wife,  in  Statu  Quo,  They  all  send  much  love  and  good 
wishes.  Dr.  James  and  Robert  Hare  ^  were  elected  Professors  by 
a  majority  of  10  or  12.  Dr.  Chapman  wisely  withdrew  his  name 
and  gave  James,  his  influence.  You  see  by  this,  that  Dr.  Rush's 
influence  is  not  as  great  as  it  was  at  Coxe's  election.  Dr.  James 
has  likewise  been  elected;  Accoucheur  to  the  Hospital. 

You  ask  me  to  explain  my  object,  views,  expectations  and  en- 
couragement by  coming  here  to  reside.  This  I  will  do  with  pleasure. 
The  fortunate  termination  of  my  affairs  at  Gloucester  left  me  com- 
pletely at  liberty  to  consult  my  own  incUnation  in  making  an  estab- 
lishment in  business,  where  it  was  most  congenial  to  my  feelingSo 
I  therefore,  immediately  determined  on  spending  the  summer 
months  in  this  City,  in  studying  Botany  and  Natm-al  History,  and 
attending  to  what  business  that  I  coiild  with  convenience,  and  in 
the  Fall,  when  I  could  with  safety  to  health,  go  to  the  South  for 
an  estabUshment  in  business.  I  shall  sail  for  Charleston,  S.  C. 
by  the  middle  of  October  or  beginning  of  November,  and  shall  put 
myself  into  a  place  where  I  shall  be  able  to  obtain  some  property. 
I  have  always  considered  it  the  duty  of  every  man  in  the  early 
part  of  his  life  to  make  such  exertions,  even  at  the  risk  of  his  health 
and  life,  as  would  insure  him  a  Hving  in  old  age,  when  he  would 
not  be  able  to  make  them  to  advantage.  This  City,  you  know,  is 
filled  with  the  Profession,  and  it  would  take  a  long  time  to  gain  a 
respectable  standing.  Three  young  doctors  of  our  acquaintance 
are  doing  nothing,  but  John  Vaughan  is  Anatomizing  upon  Miss 
Betsey  Pratt  to  pretty  good  advantage  and  it  is  said  that  he  will 
marry  her  this  Fall.  Permit  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  birth 
of  a  Son.2  May  he  possess  the  industry  and  Talents  of  his  Father 
and  the  virtue  and  amiable  disposition  of  his  Mother.  Yours 
Sincerely,  Benj'n  Clapp." 

This  trifling  note  from  Mr.  Bill  Barnes  shows  how  even 
in  the  quiet  life,  death  suddenly  intrudes. 

"Claremont,  August  21,  1810.  Dear  Brother:  I  rec'd  yours  of 
April  1st  informing  us  of  your  return  with  Mrs.  Spalding  to  Ports- 
mouth, where  you  had  joy  to  find  your  children  and  friends  well. 
We  were  thankful  to  hear  of  your  return.  We  have  heard  from  you 
at  sundry  times  since,  as  well  as  by  yours  of  the  28th  of  July  to- 
gether with  a  very  agreeable  present  of  pamphlets,  masonic  and 

^  Dr.  Robert  Hare  (1781-1858)  was  an  expert  chemist,  and  the  in- 
ventor of  the  Oxy-Hydrogen  blow-pipe.  His  experiments  during  the 
forty  years  in  which  he  filled  the  Chair  of  Chemistry  in  Philadelphia 
were  brilliant,  but  his  lectures  were  eccentrically  and  hesitatingly  de- 
livered from  notes  on  scraps  of  paper. 

2  "The  Son"  was  my  Father,  Lyman  Dyer  Spalding,  bom  July 
2,  1810. 


190  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

other  useful  information.  Your  parents  enjoy  a  good  state  of 
health.  Mrs.  Barnes  wants  very  much  to  see  you  all  and  par- 
ticularly your  new  born  son.  As  we  have  made  use  of  your  name 
for  OUR  son,  we  should  be  glad  to  be  useful  to  you  respecting  a 
name  for  yours.  I  feel  myself  wounded  when  I  consider  how  I 
have  so  long  neglected  writing  to  you,  but  hope  you  wiU  excuse 
me.  Major  Deyton  was  instantly  killed  the  18th  of  this  month, 
by  a  dry  sapling  that  had  long  been  bent.  It  broke  and  he  being 
under,  it  liit  liis  head.  Esquire  Stone  the  Clothier  of  Wethersfield 
being  on  the  bridge  nigh  his  house  when  the  water  swept  the  bridge 
away  was  found  dead  a  mile  down  the  stream.  Dr.  Fitch's  wife 
died  this  day  of  consumption.  This  week  has  been  the  most  ex- 
traordinary for  rain  and  high  winds  that  I  can  say  I  remember. 
With  Esteem,  Bill  Baenes." 

The  various  items  contained  in  the  letter  now  arriving 
from  Dr.  Ebenezer  Lerned  of  Hopkinton,  New  Hampshire, 
illustrate  New  Hampshire  Medical  History.  Dr.  Lerned 
(1760-1831)  was  prominent  in  the  State  Medical  Society, 
delivered  before  it  an  Oration  "On  the  Rise  and  Progress  of 
Medicine,"  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  Convention  to  form 
the  Pharmacopoeia. 

"  Hopkinton,  N.  H,  Aug.  28,  1810.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your 
circular  and  feel  happy  in  hearing  of  the  improvement  making  in 
our  profession,  and  that  the  N.  H.  Med.  Soc,  is  tlirowing  off  its 
Torpor  and  assuming  a  Spirit  of  Inquiry.  I  enclose  you  the  Cer- 
tificates of  the  two  young  Gentlemen  who  were  examined  and  ap- 
proved at  our  last  district  meeting.  They  wish  to  obtain  elegant 
Diplomas.  I  accordingly  enclose  their  certificates  and  four  Dol- 
lars for  the  fees  as  stated  in  yoiu-  former  letter,  and  must  ask  you 
to  have  them  ready  for  the  Bearer  on  his  return  to  Hopkinton. 
Quere?  Would  it  not  be  better  to  write:  "THIS"  may  certify, 
than  "THESE"  may  certify?  And  is  there  any  impropriety  in 
inserting  the  place  of  residence  after  the  name,  as  M.  Long,  Jr.^  of 
Hopkinton?  The  fees  for  examination  are  not  yet  disposed  of. 
The  Censors  conceive  it  to  be  their  duty  to  appropriate  them  for 
the  good  of  the  Profession,  by  the  purchase  of  Books. 

Doct.  John  Preston  ^  of  New  Ipsmch,  an  associate  of  the  Centre 
District  has  written  to  me,  stating  that  he  has  received  a  Letter 
notifying  him  that  he  is  indebted  to  the  Society  to  a  large  amount. 
He  further  states  that  his  Father  who  has  been  dead  above  ten 

1  Dr.  Moses  Long,  Jr.  (1787-1858)  was  a  Dartmouth  Medical 
Graduate  and  practiced  many  years  in  Hopkinton. 

'  Dr.  John  Preston,  Sr.  practiced  in  New  Ipswich  all  of  his  life  and 
his  son,  John  Jr.  (1770-1828)  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1792. 


EVENTS  AND  LETTERS  RECEIVED  IN  1809-10     191 

years  was  admitted  an  Original  Fellow,  that  he  never  joined,  but 
ever  declined  joining  the  Society.  He,  therefore,  declines  satLsfying 
a  demand  against  his  Father,  as  he  conceives  there  was  no  contract. 
As  he  has  been  dead  many  years,  I  think  it  best  to  erase  his  name 
in  the  Catalogue. 

1  return  your  Book  of  New  York  Laws  after  so  long  a  time.  It 
is  healthy  in  Hopkinton.  What  is  unusual  I  have  had  three 
patients  laboring  under  Phrenitis  Idiopathica  ^  in  the  course  of  a 
few  months.  They  have  aU  terminated  favorably  by  the  use  of 
large  Depletion. 

Your  Ob'd't  Serv't.  Eben'k  Lekned."  2 

^  "Phrenitis  Idiopathica"  may  be  Brain  Fever. 

2  The  other  young  gentleman  admitted  was  Dr.  Peter  Bartlett  of 
Salisbury  (1789-1868)  who  finally  moved  west  and  died  in  Peoria, 
Illidois. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Lecturer  on  ANATOiinr  and  Surgery  and  President  of  the  Fair- 
field Medical  School,  1810-1812. 

The  month  of  October,  1810,  brought  to  Dr.  Spalding  a 
great  surprise  in  the  form  of  an  invitation  to  lecture  on 
Anatomy  and  Surgery  at  Fairfield  Academy,  New  York, 
Fairfield  was  a  farming  centre  of  perhaps  two  thousand 
people,  ten  miles  from  Little  Falls  on  the  Mohawk  River. 
The  Academy  had  been  founded  in  1802,  it  gradually  in- 
creased in  educational  importance,  in  1809  Chemical  and 
Medical  Lectures  were  added,  a  Lottery  Grant  was  ob- 
tained from  the  State,  and  Dr.  Spalding  was  now  invited  to 
go  on  with  the  work  so  well  begun. 

Those  who  had  known  nothing  of  Dr.  Spalding's  career 
may  have  wondered  how  a  physician  from  a  small  place  like 
Portsmouth  should  have  been  invited  to  lecture  in  a  Medical 
School  in  New  York  when  there  were  men  of  greater  public 
renown  in  the  larger  cities.  These  letters,  however,  show 
how  well  known  he  had  by  this  time  become  from  his  lec- 
tures at  Dartmouth,  his  studies  with  Nathan  Smith  and  Dr. 
Ramsay,  his  gifted  demonstrations  of  the  Lymphatics  under 
Wistar,  and  the  very  high  personal  and  friendly  esteem  in 
which  he  had  been  publicly  held  by  the  leading  physicians 
in  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  in  the  previous  winter. 

As  fortune  would  have  it,  Dr.  Josiah  Noyes  (1776-1853) 
the  Instructor  in  Chemistry  at  Fairfield  at  this  juncture 
was  a  Dartmouth  graduate,  who  had  attended  Dr.  Spald- 
ing's lectures  at  Hanover,  and  knew  of  his  studies  with  Dr. 
Smith  and  Dr.  Ramsay,  so  that  when  it  was  proposed  to  en- 
large the  Medical  Department  in  the  Academy,  he  nomi- 
nated Dr.  Spalding  for  the  new  Professorship,  and  was 
directed  to  invite  him  to  look  over  the  field,  which  he  did  in 
this  flattering  manner. 

"Fairfield,  County  of  Herkimer,  N.  Y.  Oct.  2,  1810.  Dear  Sir: 
I  am  authorized  by  the  Trastees  of  this  Iiistitution  to  give  you  a 
brief  description  of  the  Literary  Institution  established  in  this 
place  and  to  give  you  an  invitation  to  visit  it. 

192 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY     193 

It  is  expected  that  the  Academy  and  Medical  Institution  con- 
nected will  take  the  name  of  College  soon.  The  instruction  at 
present  is  about  the  same  as  is  given  in  the  most  respectable 
colleges  in  the  United  States.  The  number  of  students  besides 
Medical  Students  is  generally  from  90  to  115.  The  Rev.  Caleb 
Alexander  ^  is  the  Principal.  There  is,  besides,  one  Tutor  and  an 
assistant  who  attends  to  the  lower  branches.  We  have  three 
buildings,  one  of  stone  called  the  Laboratory,  containing  14  elegant 
rooms.  There  are  two  lecturing  rooms,  one  for  Anatomy,  and  the 
other  for  lecture  on  Chemistry.  These  two  rooms  perhaps  are 
better  than  any  others  built  for  the  same  purpose  in  the  United 
States,  except  Philadelphia.  Our  Chemical  Apparatus  is  more 
complete  than  any  in  the  City  of  New  York,  and  the  Anatomical 
Museum  is  equal  to  Dr.  Smith's  at  Dartmouth. 

I  have  given  two  courses  of  Chemical  Lectures  and  Dr.  Jacob,^ 
one  on  Anatomy  to  between  30  and  40  students.  The  number  this 
year,  will  probably  be  not  far  from  50,  which  will  be  more  than  they 
will  probably  have  at  both  Colleges  in  the  City  of  New  York. 
This  Institution  sustains  the  highest  reputation  through  the  State. 

The  Legislature  granted  5,000  dollars  for  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment last  winter,  and  will  probably  grant  more  the  next  winter. 
The  situation  is  pleasant  and  near  the  centre  of  the  State. 

The  lectures  this  season  will  commence  the  first  of  November, 
and  a  contract  has  not  yet  been  made  with  any  one  to  deliver  the 
Anatomical  Lectures.  The  Trustees  are  confident  that  should  you 
add  the  weight  of  your  reputation  and  talents  to  their  exertions, 
the  Institution  will  not  only  keep  up  its  character,  but  will  soon 
become  much  more  respectable  than  it  is  already.  They  are 
sensible  that  the  funds  at  present  are  not  sufficient  to  afford  very 
great  encouragement  to  a  Professor  of  Anatomy,  but  hope  soon  to 
have  it  in  their  power  to  offer  a  handsome  compensation. 

1  am  authorized  to  suggest  a  plan,  which  the  Trustees  hope  will 
meet  with  your  approbation,  and  which  they  think  will  be  ad- 
vantageous to  yourself  and  to  the  Institution.  There  is  no  re- 
spectable surgeon  in  Albany,  nor  any  celebrated  physician.  All 
who  have  oeen  consulted  on  the  subject,  think  you  would  find  that 
an  excellent  situation,  and  many  Gentlemen  in  Albany  are  anxious 

^  Rev.  Caleb  Alexander  (1757-1832)  the  principal  of  Fairfield,  was 
graduated  at  Yale,  served  as  a  Tutor  there,  was  a  Chaplain  in  the  Army 
in  the  War  of  1812,  and  afterwards  a  preacher.  He  published  as  early 
as  1785,  "A  New  Introduction  to  the  Latin  Language,"  which  was  fol- 
lowed by  an  "Interleaved  Virgil."  He  was  elected  Principal  of  Fair- 
field in  1801,  built  up  that  Institution  to  a  high  standing  and  then  made 
a  turn-coat  of  himself  for  poUtical  reasons.  He  finally  settled  down  aa 
Principal  of  Onandoga  Hollow  Academy. 

2  Dr.  Jacob  was  a  practitioner  at  Canandaigua,  and  afterwards  at 
various  settlements  in  New  York. 


194  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

that  some  reputable  surgeon  and  physician  should  settle  in  that 
City.  An  in-\dtation  has  been  extended  to  Dr.  White/  the  greatest 
Surgeon  in  this  Western  District,  but  he  has  not  yet  consented  to 
go.  I  think  you  would  be  pleased  with  Albany.  I  know  of  no 
place  in  the  United  States  wliich  unites  more  advantages,  both  to 
the  man  of  business  and  man  of  Science.  If  you  should  not  think 
the  encouragement  sufficient  to  induce  j'-ou  to  remain  permanently 
in  this  village,  tliis  plan  is  respectfully  submitted,  for  your  con- 
sideration, and  should  you  settle  in  Albany,  we  think  a  handsome 
compensation  can  be  made  you  for  Two  Months  spent  each  year 
in  giving  lectures  to  the  students  of  this  Institution. 

If  you  can  be  here  by  the  middle  of  November,  or  soon  after, 
everytliing  will  be  ready,  so  that  a  course  of  Lectures  may  be 
finished  in  six  or  eight  weeks,  for  which,  provision  is  made  to  pay 
you  five  hundred  dollars;  if  you  should  consider  this  insufficient, 
they  request  that  you  would,  if  convenient,  make  us  a  visit,  and, 
provided  you  should  not  conclude  to  settle  here,  or  in  Albany,  as 
aheady  mentioned,  the  Trustees  engage  to  defray  the  expense  of 
your  journey. 

You  would  have  had  a  communication  on  this  subject  before 
this,  had  we  known  that  you  were  in  this  Country.  About  a  year 
since  I  was  infoi-med  that  you  were  about  to  sail  for  Edinburgh,  and 
did  not  know  to  the  contrary  till  a  few  days  since,  being  in  N.  Y., 
Dr.  Perkins  informed  me  that  he  had  been  at  your  house  and  that 
you  had  spent  the  last  Winter  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  of  opinion 
that  you  would  profit  very  much  by  an  exchange  of  Portsmouth  for 
some  City  in  tlais  State,  as  the  people  here,  would  find  the  Light  of 
a  Star  from  the  East  very  useful  to  them. 

I  wish  you  to  give  us  an  answer  by  the  first  mail,  if  possible; 
Yours  Respectfully,  Josiah  Noyes,  in  behalf  of  the  Committee  of 
the  Trustees  of  Fau-field  Academy." 

To  this  invitation  Dr.  Spalding  replied: 

"Portsmouth,  N.  H.  Oct.  18,  1810.  Dear  Sir:  The  request  of 
the  Trustees  of  Fan-field  Academy  conveyed  by  your  note  was  re- 
ceived yesterday.  You  surely  must  know  that  I  am,  at  present, 
unprepared  to  deliver  an  entire  course  of  lectures  on  Anatomy. 
If  sufficient  notice  had  been  given  me,  some  arrangement  might 
have  been  made.  I  am  confident  that  with  this  notice  I  cannot 
do  justice  to  myself,  and  I  fear  that  should  neither  meet  the  ex- 
pectations of  the  Institution,  nor  give  satisfaction  to  so  rcspect- 

1  Dr.  Joseph  White  (1762-1832)  whom  we  are  told  had  been  invited 
to  settle  in  Albany  was  a  licentiate  of  the  Conneoticut  Medical  Society, 
and  practiced  at  Cherry  Valley,  New  York.  He  wag  a  shrewd  poli- 
tician. President  of  the  New  York  Medical  Society,  and  eucceeded  Dr. 
Spalding  as  President  of  the  School  at  Fairfield. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY     195 

able  a  Class.  However,  so  polite  is  your  request,  that  I  now  see 
fit  to  accept  the  invitation  of  the  Trustees  to  visit  them,  to  discuss 
their  plans,  and  lecture  to  the  best  of  my  ability  about  the  middle 
of  November  as  proposed.  Your  Obedient  Servant,  Lyman 
Spalding. 

P.S.  In  the  mean  time  could  you  please  tell  me  what  books 
and  engravings  on  Anatomy  belong  to  the  Academy,  or  to  other 
persons  and  what  apparatus  may  be  on  hand  for  injecting,  dis- 
secting and  preparing." 

Replying  to  this  acceptance  Dr.  Noyes  sent  the  following 
suggestions. 

'Tahfield,  Oct.  31,  1810.  Dear  Sir:  Yours  of  the  18th  I  have 
just  received  and  am  happy  to  find  that  you  think  proper  to  comply 
with  the  request  of  the  Trustees.  My  lectures  on  Chemistry  com- 
mence tomorrow  evening.  About  40  students  are  already  here 
and  a  number  more  engaged.  I  shall  make  arrangements  for  the 
Anatomical  Lectures  to  commence  as  soon  as  you  arrive,  which  I 
hope  will  not  be  later  than  the  time  mentioned  ki  your  letter.  If 
you  come  by  stage  you  will  only  be  five  days  on  the  road. 

When  you  arrive  at  the  Little  Falls,  which  is  seven  miles  from 
this  place,  please  to  call  on  Samuel  Smith  who  will  furnish  you 
with  means  to  come  to  this  place.  I  have  BeU's  "Anatomy,"  both 
English  and  American  Edition,  and  Bell's  "Dissections"  without 
plates,  a  valuable  work,  and  some  other  things  on  Anatomy. 

We  have  a  syringe  for  injecting,  but  not  made  for  that  purpose. 
If  you  have  one,  it  would  be  well  to  bring  it.  I  would  have  you 
bring  all  the  engravings  you  can.  Your  Friend  etc.,  Josiah 
Notes." 

As  soon  as  he  could  make  his  preparations,  Dr.  Spalding 
set  off  for  Fairfield  accompanied  by  his  Sister  in  Law,  Miss 
Caroline  Coues,  made  a  stop  in  Boston,  where  Dr.  Spalding 
consulted  with  his  friend  Dr.  Shattuck  ^  and  persuaded  him 

^  George  Cheyne  Shattuck  (1783-1854)  was  graduated  academically 
from  Dartmouth  in  1803  and  Medically  in  1806.  Whilst  there,  he 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Dr.  Spalding  and  their  friendship  lasted  for 
life.  Dr.  Shattuck  became  very  eminent  in  the  profession,  received 
many  honorary  degrees,  was  a  Lecturer  in  the  Harvard  Medical  School, 
President  of  the  State  Medical  Society,  and  very  charitable  to  Dart- 
mouth, Harvard,  and  the  Boston  Athenaeum.  He  was  a  prolific 
writer  in  Medicine,  and  more  than  once  carried  off  the  Boylston  Prize 
in  Medicine.  Dignified  in  appearance  and  of  pious  habits,  he  was 
much  thought  of  by  the  community  and  profession,  alike.  He  prac- 
ticed many  years  in  Boston,  and  has  been  followed  by  descendants 
illustrious  in  medicine.  The  present  series  of  letters  throw  valuable 
light  on  his  many-sided  character. 


196  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

to  come  on,  also,  to  Fairfield  and  to  give  lectures  on  Theory 
and  Practice. 

Dr.  Spalding  reached  Fairfield  safely,  lectured  three  times 
a  day  for  six  weeks  on  Anatomy  and  Surgery,  and  accepted 
from  the  Trustees  a  formal  offer  of  the  Chair  of  Anatomy  and 
Surgery  at  a  Salary  of  $500  and  expenses.  On  his  way 
home  he  stopped  at  Albany,  and  looked  over  the  medical 
field,  but  finding  no  promising  opening  continued  on  to 
Portsmouth. 

Dr.  Shattuck  also  delivered  his  course  of  lectures,  returned 
to  Boston,  and  immediately  afterward  wrote  to  Dr.  Spald- 
ing then  at  Portsmouth. 

"Boston,  Jan.  13,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  I  sent  j^ou  by  the  stage 
driver  last  Monday,  fiftj^  catalogues,  two  letters  and  twelve  dollars, 
and  Mr.  Ford's^  receipt  inside  the  catalogues.  I  have  not  yet 
been  informed  whether  you  have  received  them.  Do  be  so  kind 
as  to  write  me  whether  they  have  been  received. 

Not  having  any  communication  from  Fairfield  since  I  left  I  can- 
not inform  you  what  we  are  to  expect  another  year. 

With  much  esteem,  yoins,  etc.,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

As  the  correspondence  between  Fairfield  and  Portsmouth 
continues  we  see  Dr.  Spalding  trjdng  to  build  up  the  School, 
endeavoring  to  obtain  money  for  a  voyage  to  Europe  and 
watching  the  pohtical  intrigues  between  the  friends  of  rival 
institutions  of  learning. 

A  midwinter  letter  from  Mr.  Alexander  is  characteristic  of 
the  man. 

"Little  Falls,  Feb.  12,  1811.  Sh:  By  last  week's  mail  I  re- 
ceived yours  of  the  23rd.  The  Committee  also  had  one  of  the  same 
date.  Your  nomination  of  Dr.  Shattuck  gives  universal  satis- 
faction, and  accordingly,  he  is  appointed  to  the  Professor's  Chair 
of  Theory  and  Practice  of  Physic  and  Physiology,  of  wliich  the 
Committee  will  soon  send  him  notice. 

I  wish  that  your  proposal  of  going  to  Europe  could  have  been 
as  equally  satisfactory.  We  have  conferred  on  the  subject,  and  it 
appears  to  be  the  unanimous  opinion,  that,  in  our  present  feeble, 
infantile  state,  your  absence  during  the  next  medical  term  would 
be  essentially  detrimental,  except  you  send  us  a  substitute  as  good 
or  nearly  as  good  as  the  original.  By  your  personal  acquaintance, 
you  know  that  we  are  young,  feeble,  almost  tottering,  a  weak 

1  Mr.  Ford,  was  Simeon  Ford  of  Fairfield,  a  Trustee  and  the  Treas- 
urer of  the  Academy. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY     197 

sapling  not  a  full  grown  oak.  Besides  we  have  opposers;  Union 
College  is  unfriendly.  The  Trustees  of  Oneida  Academy  are 
making  the  most  vigorous  exertions  this  winter  to  obtain  money 
from  our  Legislature,  with  intention  to  rival  us.  The  Trustees  of 
Canandaguia  Academy  where  Dr.  Jacob  resides,  are  now  petition- 
ing the  Regents  for  a  College.  From  envy,  or  malice,  or  selfishness 
or  from  some  other  infernal  motive,  there  are  some  wishing  to  see 
us  tumble  into  nonenity.  Thus  circumstanced  our  growing  edifice 
would,  unquestionably,  reel,  if  a  main  pillar  were  removed  from 
under  the  foundation.  The  Committee  will  write  you  by  the  next 
mail,  and  express  their  sentiments.  It  is  the  universal  desire  that 
you  should  go  to  Europe.  But,  this  going  must  not  endanger  our 
existence  as  a  Medical  School.  You  will  take  the  subject  into 
serious  consideration,  and  send  us  your  result  as  soon  as  con- 
venient: it  may  perhaps,  be  easy  to  find  a  substitute.  Besides,  if 
there  were  no  objection  against  your  going  next  July,  yet  we  are 
not  prepared,  and  perhaps  we  cannot  be.  To  be  prepared  we  are 
taking  every  precaution.  A  humble  petition  has  gone  down  to 
Albany  praying  the  Legislatiu-e  to  take  measures  so  that  we  may 
soon  realize  the  $5,000  granted  last  winter.  Judge  Smith  writes 
me,  that  there  is  a  good  prospect  of  succeeding.  Should  we  fail, 
we  are  blown  to  the  winds. 

Your  proposal  respecting  Major  Barrow,^  or  Barnot,  or  Banor 
(for  I  cannot  tell  which  by  jour  writing)  is  pleasing.  I  will  write 
to  Judge  Smith  ^  who  will  obtain  the  most  correct  information  from 
the  scientific  gentlemen  of  the  Legislature.  I  will  also  make  the 
trial  with  my  "Diplomatic  Skill"  on  the  Philosophical  Professor 
at  Union  College. 

Prior  to  your  going  to  Eiu-ope,  you  shall  be  furnished  with  cata- 
logues of  a  philosophical  apparatus,  and  a  hbrary. 

The  new  building  will  be  erected  next  summer,  and  finished  in 
Autumn,  72  by  36,  and  35  feet  high  from  the  bottom  of  the  un- 
derpinning. Many  trials  and  much  exertion  were  made  to  raise 
the  money  by  individual  subscription.  It  could  not  be  raised,  at 
least,  enough  to  complete  the  work.  The  Trustees  were  convened 
day  before  yesterday,  and  agreed  to  aUow  the  undertaker,  $4,800. 

^  Major  Micajah  Barron  of  Bradford,  Vermont,  was  a  surveyor, 
road  builder  and  politician,  but  the  allusion  to  him  I  cannot  under- 
stand, nor  to  the  other  one  concerning  John  Taylor,  who  was  graduated 
from  Yale  in  1784,  served  honorably  as  Professor  of  Philosophy  at  Union 
College  and  died  in  1840. 

2  Judge  Smith  was  the  second  "Nathan"  Smith  in  Dr.  Spalding's 
list  of  friends,  and  Uved  at  Fairfield  where  he  was  a  lawyer  and  trustee 
of  the  Academy.  He  was  now  a  State  Senator  and  one  of  the  Regents 
of  the  University  of  New  York.  From  him  we  shall  see  several  im- 
portant letters  bearing  on  the  history  of  the  Fairfield  School. 


198  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Wm.  Smith  will  be  the  undertaker  and  advance  all  the  money. 
The  property  will  be  his.  It  wiU  be  rented  at  nine  percent  and  in- 
sured: A  good  bargain,  both  for  the  Institution  and  Mr.  Smith. 
The  rooms  are  much  wanted.  We  are  now  extremely  crowded 
vnth  106  students. 

We  were  much  pleased  at  hearing  that  you  and  Miss  Caroline 
arrived  safely  at  Portsmouth.  Our  affections  are  presented  to  her, 
and  say  to  her,  if  you  please,  that  we  retain  a  pleasing  remembrance 
of  her  person  and  social  quahties.  My  family  are  well,  and  com- 
pliment you  mth  their  esteem.  Tho'  unacquainted,  yet  your 
Lady  is  saluted  with  our  tenderest  love.  Accept  my  Cordiality. 
Caleb  Alexandek." 

Judge  Smith's  idea  at  this  time  was  to  get  actual  cash  for 
Fairfield  instead  of  money  from  a  Lottery,  and  in  writing  to 
Dr.  Spalding  he  describes  his  successes. 

"Albany,  9th  March,  ISIL  Dear  Sir:  Yours  of  the  23rd  Jan- 
uary came  safely  to  hand.  I  have  deferred  answering  it  in  hopes 
of  being  able  to  communicate  to  you  the  result  of  our  appUcation 
to  the  Legislature  for  the  5,000  dollars.  All  I  can  say  at  the  present, 
however,  is  that  a  Bill  has  been  brought  in  for  that  purpose  and  I 
have  the  utmost  confidence  that  it  will  pass. 

I  have  received  no  communication  from  the  Trustees  since  I  left 
Fairfield,  and  am  therefore  unable  to  say  any  thing  on  the  subject 
of  future  arrangements  made  by  them.  I  regret,  however,  the 
necessity  of  suspending  lectures^  for  next  session,  as  I  think  it  will 
procrastinate  the  time  that  we  might  obtain  a  Charter  for  a  Col- 
lege, but  I  am  sensible  that  to  proceed  with  incompetent  pro- 
fessors would  be  worse  than  doing  nothing. 

You  wish  to  know  if  we  accept  Hosick's  Garden.^    I  regret  that 

^  "Suspending  lectures"  refers  to  Dr.  Spalding  going  to  Europe. 

^  "Hosick's  Garden"  was  a  Botanical  Garden  established  by  Dr. 
Hosack  (so  spelled,  but  pronounced  as  Judge  Smith  writes  it).  Dr. 
David  Hosack  (1769-1835)  with  whom  Dr.  Spalding  often  consulted 
after  his  removal  to  New  York,  obtained  his  degree  at  Philadelphia  and 
settled  in  Alexandria,  Virginia,  expecting  it  to  become  the  Capital  of 
the  Country.  Diasppointed  in  this  expectation  he  went  abroad,  and 
on  his  return  in  the  ship  "Mohawk,"  met  with  a  streak  of  luck,  for 
fever  broke  out  on  board,  he  took  charge  of  the  sick,  and  arriving  in 
New  York  the  papers  were  filled  with  his  great  performance  in  curing 
so  many.  His  name  was  made.  Dr.  Hosack  was  in  succession  Pro- 
fessor of  Botany;  Obstetrics;  and  Theory  and  Practice  at  Columbia. 
He  entertained  profusely,  wrote  copious  letters  and  many  medical 
l)amphlets,  and  reached  the  summit  of  his  fame  by  attending  as  surgeon 
in  the  duel  between  Hamilton  and  Burr. 

In  order  to  illustrate  his  lectures  on  Botany,  he  established  in  New 
York  City  his  Botanical  Garden  bounded  by  (47  and  51?)  Streets 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGRRY     199 

I  am  obliged  to  answer  you  in  the  affirmative.  The  Regents  have 
now  the  management  of  it,  but  they  are  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with 
it.  My  opinion  is,  that  it  will  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  be  cut 
up  into  lots  and  sold.  I  will  write  you  as  soon  as  the  fate  of  our 
Bill  is  known. 

In  the  Interim.  I  am  respectfully,  Your  Ob'd't  Servant,  N. 
Smith." 

Judge  Smith's  letter  from  Albany  was  soon  followed  by 
one  from  the  Standing  Committee  at  Fairfield  in  these 
words : 

"Fairfield,  March  12,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  Your  communication  of 
January  23rd  came  duly  to  hand  and  we  should  before  now  have 
returned  your  answer,  had  circumstances  been  propitious.  You 
are  acquainted  with  our  pecuniary  resources,  and  you  know  that 
the  execution  of  our  plans  depends  very  much  on  our  obtaining 
from  the  Legislature  the  Five  Thousand  Dollars  granted  us  in  a 
Lottery  last  session.  By  petition  we  have  applied  to  them  for  an 
Act  enabhng  us  to  reahze  this  sum.  The  petition  yet  lies  on  their 
table:  at  least,  they  have  not  answered  our  Prayer,  though  there 
is  considerable  prospect  that  they  will.  As  to  your  setting  out  for 
Em-ope,  next  July,  we  feel  inclined  to  favor  your  views  as  much  as 
may  be  consistent  with  the  interest  and  prosperity  of  this  Insti- 
tution. To  advance  the  dignity  and  respectabihty  of  the  Academy 
is  a  primary  object.  To  this,  all  other  schemes  and  means  ought 
to  be  entirely  subordinate.  Since  your  departure  from  us,  we  have 
often  thought  and  often  conversed  together  on  the  subject,  and 
the  result  of  our  conversation  is;  that  it  would  conduce  to  the 
good  of  the  Institution  should  your  voyage  be  postponed  one 
year  from  next  July.  For  this  opinion  our  reasons  are  the  follow- 
ing: We  are  an  infant  corporation,  the  Academy  has  not  gained 
permanency,  there  are  several  Academys  which  are  now  exerting 
all  their  vigor  to  gain  the  ascendancy  over  us,  and  we  have  some 
opponents. 

Surrounded  with  these  things,  it  becomes  us  to  unite  all  our 
efforts  and  continue  in  them  to  fix  our  reputation  and  to  gain  a 
stability  which  cannot  be  overthrown  by  the  blast  of  envy  or 
tongue  of  maUce.  Should  we  in  any  measure  relax  our  exertions, 
we  fear  that  our  antagonists  may  gain  some  advantage  over  us. 
Should  you,  in  this  situation  be  absent  from  us  any  considerable 
time,  we  have  our  apprehensions  that  the  PubUc  mind  would  sub- 
side in  proportion  it  has  been  raised.    Your  known  abihties  as  an 

North  and  South  and  by  5th  and  6th  Avenues  East  and  West.  Finding 
it  expensive,  he  offered  it  to  the  Regents  for  $1000,  who  hesitated,  as 
we  have  seen  to  pay  this  pitiful  price.  "The  Medical  &  Philosophical 
Register"  for  1811,  contains  a  picture  of  this  garden. 


200  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Anatomist,  and  talents  as  a  Lecturer  have  much  excited  popular 
attention:  to  keep  up  this  attention  we  deem  very  important. 
Besides,  your  presence  in  giving  another  course  of  lectures  next 
Fall,  in  conjunction  -R-ith  the  erection  and  finishing  of  the  new 
building,  will,  we  are  confident  produce  for  us  the  patronage  of 
the  Legislature,  and  the  good  opinion  of  the  Regents,  so  that  the 
Governor  will  be  induced  to  grant  us  the  Charter  of  a  College,  and 
the  other  money,  so  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  prosecute  all  our 
schemes  to  advantage.  We  hope  to  have  the  new  building  com- 
pleted for  the  use  of  the  Students,  next  Fall.  The  fame  of  this  will 
draw  Students,  the  Academical  and  IMedical  Instruction  will  draw 
students.  This  imited  Drawing,  will  draw  the  attention  of  the 
Regents  and  Legislature,  and  we  think  we  shall  not  fail  in  our 
expectations. 

These  are  our  reasons  to  induce  you  to  postpone  your  Journey 
across  the  Atlantic:  to  your  candor  and  mature  Judgement,  they 
are  proposed  for  consideration.  We  -nish  to  know  your  Opinion, 
as  soon  as  convenient.  Allow  us  to  add,  that  we  highlj^  approve 
this  plan  of  your  attending  the  Medical  Schools  of  Europe.  We 
shall  give  it  all  the  concurrence  that  its  import  may  demand. 
But  we  think  that  both  you  and  we  can  make  better  preparations 
and  arrangements,  by  delajdng  for  the  term  of  one  year.  To 
conclude:  We  are  not  so  fixed  in  our  Sentiments  as  to  be  deaf  to 
reasons  that  maj'  throw  hght  on  the  Subject. 

We  are  your  friends,  Jonathan  Sherwood,^  Oliver  Ellis,^ 
WiLLL^i  S]\nTH:^  Standing  Committee. 

N.  B.  On  your  recommending  Dr.  Shattuck  to  us  as  a  person 
well  qualified  to  give  lectures  on  the  Theory  and  Practice  of  Physic, 
and  of  Physiology,  we  have  appointed  him  Professor  of  the  same  — 
in  our  Institution." 

Dr.  Spalding  evidently  communicated  the  contents  of 
this  letter  to  Dr.  Shattuck  at  once,  as  will  be  seen  in  reading 
his  letter  next  in  order. 

"Bo.ston,  April  4,  181L  Dear  Sir:  Yours  of  the  27th  Ult.  came 
to  hand  two  days  ago.  Delay  in  answering  it  has  been  necessary 
from  an  indecision  of  mind  in  relation  to  the  acceptance  or  non- 
acceptance  of  the  Professorship  with  which  the  Trustees  of  Fair- 
field Academy  have  honored  me.  The  news  of  the  appointment 
was  to  me  truly  unexpected.  Your  cautions  to  me  at  the  con- 
clusion of  oiu-  conversation  in  relation  to  committing  myself  by 

'  Dr.  Jonathan  Sherwood  was  already  practicing  as  a  physician  in 
Fairfield  without  a  Diploma,  but  later  received  one  at  Fairfield  from 
the  hands  of  Dr.  Spalding  as  President  of  the  new  Medical  College. 

2  Oliver  Ellis  was  a  local  lawyer  of  much  merit. 

»  William  Smith  was  an  architect  and  contractor  living  in  the  village. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    201 

conference  with  friends  on  a  subject  so  extremely  problematical  in 
the  event,  as  my  election,  quite  abated  every  expectation  of  its 
taking  place.  On  re-surveying  the  great  and  important  duties 
which  will  grow  out  of  an  acceptance  of  the  office,  the  mind  is  al- 
most overwhelmed  by  the  greatness  of  the  undertaking.  If  the 
Gentlemen  Trustees  will  so  moderate  their  expectations  and  re- 
quirements as  to  make  them  conform  to  the  feeble  talents  I  possess, 
rather  than  to  the  merits  of  the  subject,  and  will  allow  me  the 
privilege  of  resigning  if  experiment  should  prove  an  incongruity 
between  my  duties  as  a  practitioner  at  Boston,  and  lectm-ing  one 
month  of  the  year  at  Fairfield,  they  are  promised  my  best  services; 
all  inadequate  as  they  may  be,  to  the  occasion.  Respecting  the 
time  of  year,  we  may  give  lectures,  and  the  year  on  which  we  shall 
commence  giving  them,  I  have  a  predilection  to  the  Month  of 
Nov,  and  the  year  1812.  If  you  and  myself  should  continue  to 
reside  distant  from  the  Seat  of  Learning,  we  should  choose  to  be 
absent  from  om"  circle  of  practice  the  most  healthy  month  of  that 
time  which  would  accommodate  the  students  at  Medicine.  How- 
ever, decision  on  this  point  I  will  postpone,  to  listen  to  further 
discussion.  .  .  .  When  do  you  go  to  Europe?  I  shall  wish  to  send 
for  Books  by  you.  With  assurances  of  my  High  Respect,  Geo.  C. 
Shattuck." 

This  letter  of  hesitation  and  doubt  was  followed  by  bad 
news  from  Mr.  Alexander. 

"Fairfield,  April  13,  1811.  Sir:  I  seize  the  first  opportunity  to 
announce  to  you  the  failm-e  of  our  petition  to  the  Legislature. 
Judge  Smith  arrived  at  home  two  days  ago,  from  Albany.  He  did 
all  a  man  could  do.  The  Oneida  Representatives,  favoring  Clinton 
Academy,  exerted  all  their  influence  against  us.  They  said,  that 
they  and  other  Academies  deserved  Legislative  aid  as  well  as  we: 
that  to  grant  the  prayer  of  our  petition  was  an  unjustifiable  par- 
tiahty,  and  they  made  the  Representatives  from  other  Counties 
living  near  Academies,  behfe^e  their  doctrine. 

We  feel  disappointed  and  a  little  MADDISH.  We  shall,  how- 
ever, go  forward  with  increased  resolution  and  perseverance. 
Judge  Smith  attempted  to  negotiate  a  Loan  with  some  of  the 
Banks  in  Albany.  He  met  with  encouragement  of  receiving  assist- 
ance next  summer.  We  mean  not  to  stop  here.  Both  he  and  I 
have  this  day  written  letters  to  some  principal  characters  in  the 
City  of  New  York,  to  gain  their  influence  to  aid  us  in  negotiating 
a  loan  with  some  of  the  Banks  of  that  City.  When  lotteries  are 
granted  in  this  State,  they  are  often  sold  at  a  discount  to  some 
Banking  Company.  We  shall  try  this  plan,  and  we  calculate  on 
success.  As  soon  as  we  meet  with  success  it  shall  be  announced 
to  you. 


202  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Three  weeks  ago,  Dr.  W.  Jacob,  acted  a  most  ridiculous  farce 
in  this  village.  He  sued  Dr.  Noyes  and  myself  to  answer  on  a  plea 
of  trespass  on  the  Case  to  the  Superior  Court.  He  took  a  writ  of 
replevin  and  with  a  Sherriff  attempted  to  break  open  the  Labora- 
tory to  take  the  Anatomical  Museum.  The  doors  were  barricaded, 
and  guarded  inside  with  a  sufficient  number  of  men  to  prevent  en- 
trance. We  knew  the  property  was  ours.  We  knew  that  his  pro- 
ceedings were  illegal.  And  he,  and  the  Sheriff  were  told  that  if 
they  entered  it  would  be  at  the  risque  of  their  lives.  After  threat- 
ening, and  swaggering,  and  going  often  to  the  tavern  for  a  quantum 
sufficit  of  Brandy,  he  retired.  The  next  day  he  was  as  hiunble  and 
as  meek  as  a  Spaniel  Puppy.  He  gave  up  all  of  his  prosecutions, 
and  gave  to  myseK,  Dr.  Noyes  and  the  Trustees  receipts  in  full  of 
all  claims  and  demands.  I  never  saw  a  man  who  appeared  so 
mortified,  so  chagrined,  so  ashamed,  so  dispirited  and  so  much  like 
a  scoundrel  as  he.    He  has  gone  to  Canandaigua. 

I  thank  you  for  your  letter.  The  date  I  have  forgotten.  Prior 
to  the  reception  of  your  last  letter  we  had  information  that  the 
Character  of  Major  B was  suspicious.  We  are  making  vigor- 
ous preparations  in  expediting  the  New  Building.  Esq.  Ellis  and 
not  Wm.  Smith  is  the  undertaker.  He  will  begin  to  lay  the  foun- 
dation on  the  first  of  May.  Contracts  are  made  on  all  the  materials 
and  for  all  the  work,  to  be  finished  on  the  first  of  next  November. 

We  are  not  disheartened  by  the  late  failure.  All  our  exertions 
will  be  used  to  make  this  a  Respectable  Institution.  And  we  de- 
pend on  your  concurrence  and  on  that  of  Dr.  Shattuck.  Patience 
and  perseverance,  and  energy,  are  capable  of  doing  wonders.  And 
a  wonder  it  will  be,  if  a  large  respectable  Medical  School  should  be 
founded  in  this  new  World. 

My  family  and  seK  present  compliments  to  your  lady  and  Miss 
Caroline.    Yours  affectionately,  Caleb  Alexander." 

Dr.  Spalding  must  at  this  time  have  written  to  Dr.  Shat- 
tuck to  the  effect  that  the  Lectures  from  him  would  be  ex- 
pected in  1811,  not  in  1812,  as  he  had  before  suggested,  for 
Dr.  Shattuck  now  sends  the  following  protest: 

"Boston,  April  17,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  You  mention  my  com- 
mencing a  course  of  Lectures  on  the  Institutes  of  Medicine  this 
coming  Autumn.  I  am  really  afraid  that  such  rashness  would 
dishonor  the  Chair.  If  it  be  a  possibility  with  the  Trustees  to 
hasten  your  voyage  this  Summer,  I  must  decline  such  an  unmedi- 
ate  commencement,  of  the  arduous  duties  of  a  Professor.  One 
Month,  not  six  weeks,  you  recollect,  is  the  period  within  which  a 
course  of  Lectures  may  be  completed.  At  what  time,  too,  does 
Prof.  Noyes  begin  the  Chemical  Course? 

Enclosed  is  the  desired  vaccine  lymph  taken  from  the  arm  of  a 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    203 

young  lady  belonging  to  a  morally  correct  family,  in  the  Country. 
Should  not  this  parcel  succeed,  inform  me,  and  I  will  send  you  more. 
With  esteem,  I  am,  My  Dear  Sir,  your  Ob'd't  Serv't  Geo.  C. 
Shattuck." 

As  time  went  on  and  it  became  evident  that  the  money 
for  Europe  would  not  be  forthcoming.  Dr.  Spalding  laid  out 
his  plans  for  the  Winter  Term  of  lectures,  sent  them  to  Mr. 
Alexander  and  in  August  received  the  latest  news  from  the 
Academy  and  village. 

"Fairfield,  Aug.  19,  1811.  Sir:  Your  letter  has  been  received, 
communicated  to  the  Cabinet  Council,  and  approved.  Dr.  Wil- 
loughby  ^  has  been  appointed  Professor  of  Obstetrics  and  he  has 
accepted  it.  To  gratify  himself,  he  has  determined  to  repair  to 
New  York  and  gain  what  partial  assistance  he  can,  and  return  in 
time  to  give  a  course  of  Lectures  next  November  or  December. 

The  new  building  is  covered,  and  will  be  ready  for  occupancy  by 
the  first  of  next  November.  In  stone  workmanship  it  is  the  best 
edifice  in  the  Mohawk  Country.  Of  my  own  accord  I  have  put  an 
advertisement  into  the  Public  Papers,  when  the  next  course  of 
lectures  will  commence,  fixing  the  time  on  the  fourteenth  day  of 
next  October.  The  Academical  Term  will  commence  on  the  tenth 
of  the  same  month.  I  suppose  that  Dr.  Noyes  will  commence  his 
lectures  on  the  14th,  and  that  either  you  or  Dr.  Shattuck  will  be 
on  the  ground  about  the  same  time.  I  wish  that  you  would  com- 
municate with  Dr.  Shattuck,  on  the  subject  and  give  me  the  earliest 
information  of  your  result.  Dr.  Willoughby  thinks  that  it  will  be 
best  to  have  his  lectures  terminate  the  course.  Concerrdng  this 
arrangement,  you  and  the  other  Professors  must  do  as  you  think 
proper. 

Since  the  last  winter.  Dr.  Noyes  has  spent  a  considerable  share  of 
his  time  in  the  construction  of  a  Steam  Engine  for  cooking.    He 

1  Dr.  Westel  Willoughby,  Jr.  (1769-1844)  was  born  in  Goshen,  New 
York  and  settled  in  Norway,  near  Fairfield.  He  was  member,  treas- 
urer, and  Vice  President  of  the  New  York  Medical  Society,  served  as 
an  Army  Surgeon  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  also  Justice  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  in  Newport,  New  York  and  a  Member  of  Congress. 
He  then  moved  to  the  town  of  Lake  Erie  and  became  so  prominent 
that  the  name  of  the  town  was  changed  hi  his  honor  to  that  of 
Willoughby.  Here  he  established  a  Medical  School,  the  Charter  of 
which  still  covers  a  school  in  Columbus,  Ohio.  In  composing  a 
Farewell  Address  to  the  graduating  Class  at  Fairfield  in  1830,  Dr. 
Willoughby  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  expose  himself  to  the  charge  of 
plagiarism  from  Dr.  Thomas  Sewall.  Those  who  are  interested  in 
such  matters  can  see  "The  Deadly  Parallel"  in  the  Boston  Medical 
and  Surgical  Journal  of  that  year. 


204  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

has  not  been  to  Philadelphia  to  attend  to  Botany  as  he  planned. 
The  Smiths  and  he  are  not  on  speaking  terms.  He  now  boards  at 
a  Mr.  Baldwin's  a  silversmith,  lately  from  Dartmouth  College, 
and  lodges  at  the  Buck  Tavern.  Samuel  Smith  has  commenced  a 
Law  Suit  against  Dr.  Noyes  for  pubhcly  charging  him  of  being 
guilty  of  perjury.  The  case  is  thus;  Before  Dr.  Noyes  had  finished 
his  Steam  Engine,  Samuel  Smith  had  constructed  one,  as  he  said, 
on  different  principles.  They  both  went  to  Washington  together: 
each  swore  that  he  was  the  sole  inventor,  and  each  obtained  a 
Patent  Right.  Whether  or  not  their  plans  are  similar  or  dissimilar, 
is  not  for  me  to  decide.  Impartial  judges  say  that  they  are  dis- 
similar. The  affair  has  made  a  prodigious  noise  in  the  Country. 
Dr.  Noyes  has  said  that  Judge  Smith  connived  at  the  business,  so 
the  Judge  is  very  angry,  and  so  is  WilUam  Smith.  You  must  con- 
sider this  as  an  imperfect  statement.  I  do  not  think  that  the 
affair  will  materially  affect  our  Institution.  We  mean  to  proceed 
steadily,  as  if  no  brealdng  had  taken  place.  The  Dr.,  as  you 
know,  is  sometimes  a  little  whimsical,  amidst  all  his  great  skill  and 
cleverness. 

Wilham  Smith  is  building  a  house  for  his  Mother,  and  Polly,  in 
which  "an  elegant  room"  is  preparing  for  Dr.  Spalding.  I  have 
exerted  myself  to  have  the  Circular  printed  and  sent  around  the 
country.  It  is  now  written  and  Dr.  Noyes  has  engaged  to  go  to 
Herkimer  today  to  put  it  to  the  Press.  As  soon  as  it  is  printed, 
copies  will  be  sent  on  to  you  and  Dr.  Shattuck.  It  has  been  de- 
layed too  long.  But  as  it  is  a  subject  that  does  not  so  immediately 
concern  me,  and  as  Dr.  Noyes  thinks  he,  only,  can  prepare  the  copy 
for  the  Press,  I  do  not  think  it  would  have  been  prudent  in  me  to 
have  interfered  in  the  preparation. 

I  shall  depend  on  you  and  Doctor  Shattuck  to  make  your  ar- 
rangements, and  to  give  me  tunely  notice.  I  think  it  probable 
that  I  shall  soon  write  to  Dr.  Shattuck.  I  hope  you  will  neglect 
no  time  in  writing  to  him. 

If  you  have  anything  new  to  communicate,  send  it  on  as  soon  as 
convenient.  I  will  do  the  same.  I  do  not  wish  that  Dr.  Noyes 
should  know  that  I  have  written  this  letter  to  you.  You  see,  it  is 
written  in  haste.    Accept  my  cordiahty.     Caleb  Alexander." 

Happening  to  write  on  the  same  day  with  Mr.  Alexander, 
Dr.  Shattuck  had  many  interesting  questions  to  put. 

Boston.  Aug.  19,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  Having  had  many  concerns 
novel  to  me,  but  interesting  in  their  nature,  I  have  hitherto  fore- 
born  to  make  certain  inquiries  of  you,  which  it  is  important  that  I 
definitely  comprehend.  The  proceeds  of  all  the  medical  Lectures; 
are  they  to  be  equally  divided,  or  is  each  expected  to  receive  what 
his  own  individual  popularity  may  procure  him?    Is  there  any 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    205 

sufficient  Medical  Library  at  Fairfield  furnished  with  the  standard 
elementary  books,  to  which  I  could  have  access  while  giving  a  course 
of  lectures  on  the  Theory  and  Practice  of  Physic?  Do  you  expect 
to  pass  the  month  of  Nov.,  in  giving  a  course  of  medical  instruction? 
My  first  course  must  necessarily  be  very  crude.  I  am  seriously 
apprehensive  I  shall  fall  far  below  your  expectations,  and  dis- 
honor my  fellow  laborers  in  the  field  of  medical  truth.  I  shall 
really  repose  much  on  your  disposition  to  be  charitable.  To 
acknowledge  the  truth,  my  mind  this  summer  past,  has  been  much 
occupied  in  what  necessarily  produced  a  diversion  ^  from  the  sub- 
ject of  giving  lectures.  The  next  time  you  are  in  Boston,  I  hope 
to  be  so  situated  as  to  invite  you  to  become  a  guest  during  your 
short  stay  in  town.  Should  that  be  the  case,  you  will  find  me  by 
calling  at  the  Corner  of  Cambridge  and  Temple  Street  near  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Loveitt's  Meeting  House. 
With  much  respect,  I  am,  Dear  Sir,  Yours  etc.  Geo.  C.  Shat- 

TUCK." 

P.  S.  I  have  recently  perused  a  part  of  the  translation  of  Cor- 
visart  ^  "Sur  les  Maladies  du  Coeur"  by  Dr.  Gates  ^  of  this  town, 
and  from  the  examination  I  have  already  made  of  the  merit,  both  of 
the  matter  and  style  in  its  present  English  dress,  I  must  pronounce 
it  a  work  entitled  to  a  liberal  patronage  from  the  medical  pubhc. 

Dr.  Channing  ■*  has  just  returned,  much  improved  by  his  European 
tour.  His  mind  is  well  stored  with  the  doings  of  the  wise  in  medi- 
cal science  of  the  present  generation.     G.  C.  S." 

1  "The  Diversion"  of  Dr.  Shattuck  was  to  fall  in  love  and  become 
engaged. 

2  Baron,  Jean  Louia  Corvisart  (1755-1821)  was  a  celebrated  physi- 
cian; the  right  hand  man  of  Napoleon,  who  was  excessively  fond  of 
him.  The  book  just  mentioned  owes  its  origin  to  the  fact  that  the 
Empress  Josephine  once  inquired  of  Corvisart,  in  the  presence  of  the 
Emperor,  to  what  diseases  Napoleon  was  mostly  exposed  in  his  cam- 
paigns, whereupon  he  promptly  replied;  "To  those  of  the  Heart" 
(referring  to  Napoleon's  love  affairs).  The  Emperor  turned  the  hint 
aside  by  saying  "And  you  have  written  about  diseases  of  the  Heart?" 
"No"  replied  Corvisart;  "but  I  will  do  so  at  once;"  and  this,  was  the 
promised  work.  Napoleon  used  to  pull  the  ears  of  Corvisart,  gently, 
and  say:  "Well  my  good  old  quack,  how  many  people  have  you  killed 
today?  My  battles  kill  off  a  good  many,  but  none  of  them  half  so 
many  as  you  kill  in  your  practice."  Many  anecdotes  are  reported 
concerning  Corvisart,  but  space  permits  only  insertion  of  the  interest- 
ing fact  that  he  used  to  carry  the  cane  of  Jean  Jacques  Rousseau  for 
which  he  paid  a  large  price,  and  of  which  he  was  correspondingly  proud, 

'  Dr.  Jacob  Gates  (1774-1839),  was  a  busy  member  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Medical  Society,  and  wrote  many  medical  papers. 

^  Dr.  Walter  Channing  (1786-1876)  practiced  weU  beyond  his 
eightieth  year.  After  graduating  at  Harvard,  he  obtained  his  medical 
degree  in  Philadelphia,  studied  abroad,  and  on  his  return  was  chosen 


206  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

In  his  answer  to  the  questions  of  Dr.  Shattuck  which  we 
have  just  read,  Dr.  Spalchng  must  have  asked  as  many, 
again,  if  we  can  judge  from  Dr.  Shattuck's  next  letter,  in 
which  he  says: 

"Boston  Sept.  9th,  1811.  Sir:  Your  second  arrived  while  I 
was  waiting  to  get  information  respecting  a  system  of  Anatomy  by 
Dr.  Gordon  of  Edinburgh.  Dr.  Charming  says  he  knows  nothing 
of  such  a  sj'stem,  but  told  me  he  would  inquire  of  Dr.  Revere  ^  or 
Lnicohi,2  who  had  returned  more  recently  from  Edinburgh  than 
himself.  But,  he  has  not  comphed  with  his  promise.  I  have 
called  twice  on  Dr.  Revere  with  a  view  to  satisfy  your  inquii-ies, 
but  unfortunately  the  Dr.  has  both  times  been  from  home.  Dr. 
Gates'  translation  of  Corvisart  is  to  be  pubhshed.  I  have  ex- 
amined a  part  of  it,  which  I  most  sincerely  recommend.  .  .  .  You 
ask  my  advice  respecting  performing  sm-gical  operations  gra- 
tuitouslj^  during  the  Lectmes,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Class.  My 
opuiion  is,  that  pohcy  dictates  such  a  proffer  to  all  the  poor.  The 
question  is,  whether  an  active  circulation  of  such  a  report  by  all 
the  friends  of  the  Institution  would  not  as  completely  accompUsh 
the  object.  If  it  would  not,  it  should  be  advertised.  The  Boston 
Professors  did  attempt  tliis,  and  I  beheve  on  trial  they  found  it  to 
answer  the  desired  pmpose. 

Respecting  my  going  to  Fairfield,  I  should  prefer  commencing 
about  the  lOtli  or  15th  of  Nov.  But,  on  that  subject,  agreeably  to 
j^our  advice  I  will  make  no  decision  until  you  may  again  write  me. 
Mr.  Alexander  has  written  me.  With  Much  Respect,  I  am  yours 
etc.,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

Dr.  Shattuck  has  just  mentioned  hearing  from  Mr.  Alex- 
ander and  directly  afterward  Dr.  Spalding  received  from 
him  the  cheering  letter  next  following. 

"Fairfield,  Sept.  21, 1811.  Sir:  By  the  last  mail  I  received  yours 
of  the  6th  Inst.    Dr.  Willoughby  has  also  received  his.    We  have 

Professor  of  Obstetrics  and  Jurisprudence  at  the  Harvard  Medical 
School.  He  practiced  in  Dorchester  and  occupied  a  high  position  in 
the  State  Medical  Society.  His  "Physician's  Vacation"  was  an  ad- 
mirable record  of  a  tour  in  Europe,  and  he  was  noted  for  early  use  of 
ether  in  Obstetrics. 

'  Dr.  John  Revere  (1787-1847)  obtained  his  degree  at  Philadelphia, 
studied  abroad,  and  practiced  for  a  while  in  Boston.  He  then  removed 
to  Philadelphia  where  he  was  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice  at 
Jefferson  and  finally  occupied  the  same  Chair  at  Columbia.  He  was 
an  excellent  instructor  and  lecturer. 

^  "Dr.  Lincoln"  may  have  been  "Levi"  of  that  name,  but  he  is 
difficult  to  place  exactly,  because  there  have  been  many  Dr.  Levi 
Lin  coins  in  Massachusetts. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    207 

conversed  together  on  the  contents.  Money  is  very  scarce.  He 
does  not  know  that  he  can  possibly  raise  cash  sufficient  to  defray 
the  expense  of  repairing  to  Philadelphia.  He  has  a  very  good 
opinion  of  the  New  Yorkers,  and  thinks  that  they  are  friendly  to 
us.  Sixteen  days  ago  we  had  a  visit  from  Dr.  De  Witt/  Vice 
President  of  the  New  York  Medical  College.  He  appeared  to  be 
highly  gratified,  and  at  Utica,  he  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  in 
commendation  of  our  exertions.  In  the  course  of  the  past  summer 
several  other  gentlemen  from  New  York  have  called  to  see  us,  and 
from  other  parts.  They  all  appear  satisfied.  We  are  yet  an  in- 
fant, hardly  past  the  obstetric  machine.  We  want  swaddling, 
feeding,  nursing,  nourishing.  Yom-  aid  must  be  directed  to  keep  the 
infant  from  dying.  Dr.  Nott^  and  his  coadjutors  seem  to  oppose  us. 
Sometime  since,  I  received  a  letter  from  a  gentleman  of  the  City  of 
Washington,  to  receive  as  students  his  brother  and  son.  The  young 
men  set  out  to  come  here.  On  their  passage  through  Schenectady, 
Nott  and  his  Sailors  threw  their  grappling  irons  at  the  barge,  and 
moored  it  and  the  two  passengers  in  the  Dutch  Frog  Pond.^ 

Suitable  men  are  procured  to  have  everything  ready  for  you  on 
your  arrival.  It  is  calculated  to  have  you  here  exactly  in  four 
weeks  after  the  14th  day  of  next  October,  which  is  the  day  that 
the  medical  course  begins,  as  you  may  see  by  the  Circular  sent  you. 

I  would  suggest  whether  you  could  not  make  it  convenient  to 
prolong  your  course  through  five  weeks  instead  of  four.  It  is  now 
a  very  critical  time  with  the  Institution,  The  more  noise  we  make 
next  winter,  the  better  for  us.  The  eyes  of  the  whole  State  are 
fixed  on  this  Institution.  It  is  best  to  do  all  in  our  power  next 
winter  and  give  as  good  a  Course  as  possible.  We  must  sacrifice 
time  and  money  and  convenience  to  build  up  this  Seminary.  Re- 
member the  Quaker  Sermon;  "Hold  on  and  hold  out,  and  you 
shall  have  a  dram  by  and  bye." 

Should  you  determine  to  prolong  your  lectures  five  weeks,  it 
would  be  no  detriment,  but  a  great  help  to  have  Dr.  Shattuck, 
giving  his  lectures  one  week  before  you  end.     It  would,  I  consider, 

1  Dr.  Benjamin  De  Witt  (1774-1813)  Professor  of  Theory  and 
Practice  in  Columbia,  wrote  papers  on  "Oxygen,"  and  dehvered  many 
orations  before  the  learned  societies  of  which  he  was  a  member. 

2  EUphalet  Nott  (1772-1866)  who  was  robbing  Fairfield  of  students 
was  graduated  at  Brown,  preached  at  Cherry  Valley  and  then  at 
Albany,  where  his  eloquence,  piety  and  ability  attracted  so  much  at- 
tention, that  he  was  chosen  as  the  First  President  of  Union,  a  position 
which  he  held  for  sixty  years.  He  was  world  renowned  as  the  inventor 
of  the  base-bumiiig  Hard  Coal  stove. 

2  The  Dutch  Frog  Pond  was  Lake  Schenectady  near  Union  College. 
Mr.  Nott  actually  assisted  Fairfield  at  another  time  by  engineering 
legislative  lotteries  for  five  Institutions,  Columbia,  Fairfield,  The 
African  Church,  Hamilton,  and  a  New  York  Medical  School. 


208  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

add  much  to  the  Celebrity  of  the  Medical  Department  by  leaving 
a  good  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  medical  students,  and  when 
they  dispersed  home  they  would,  unquestionably,  blow  the  Silver 
Trumpet.  I  pretend  not  to  dictate.  You  must  consult  your  own 
convenience,  in  conjunction  with  the  fame  of  our  Academy. 

It  is  calculated  to  have  Dr.  Shattuck  commence  his  lectures  in 
eight  weeks  after  the  14th  of  next  October.  Of  this,  you  will  give 
him  notice.  I  wish  he  would  write  me,  if  he  has  anything  special 
to  communicate.  Write  me  yourself.  You  see  that  I  am  in  a 
great  haste,  and  your  Friend,  C.  Alexander." 

Mr.  Alexander's  letter  was  followed  by  one  from  Dr. 
Willoughby,  in  which  he  defends  his  proposed  visit  to  New 
York  in  order  to  prepare  for  his  lectures. 

"Newport,  N.Y.Oct.  10, 1811.  DearSir:  I  have  had  the  pleasure 
of  receiving  your  letter  of  the  tenth  of  September,  and  should  have 
answered  it  before  this,  had  it  not  been  for  absence  from  home,  at 
the  time  your  letter  reached  Fairfield.  Permit  me,  Sir,  to  return 
you  my  sincere  thanks  for  the  polite  manner  in  which  you  are 
pleased  to  approbate  my  appointment  as  Professor  of  Obstetrics 
at  Fairfield  Academy,  and  be  assured  of  my  best  exertions  to  main- 
tain your  confidence  and  that  of  the  Trustees  who  have  seen  fit  to 
appoint  me.  The  honor  of  the  Institution  shall  be  my  primary 
object;  whether  my  feeble  exertions  are  to  be  crowned  with  suc- 
cess is  yet  to  be  determined.  While  you  applaud  my  exertions,  to 
improve  my  obstetric  knowledge,  you  cannot  approve  the  means: 
or,  in  other  words,  while  I  propose  going  to  New  York,  you  prefer 
Philadelphia,  for  two  reasons;  First:  because  the  New  York 
schools  view  us  with  jealousy;  and  Secondly,  because  they  are 
not  so  competent.  I  cannot  fully  persuade  myself  that  the  first 
objection  is  correct,  but  am  sensible  of  the  weight  of  the  latter, 
and  should  certainly  go  to  Phila'  rather  than  N.  Y.  if  my  circum- 
stances would  allow  it.  Although  I  possess  property  I  cannot 
command  much  cash.  At  N.  Y.  I  shall  not  be  at  any  expense  for 
instruction  whereas  at  Philadelphia  I  should.  In  N.  Y.  I  am  per- 
sonally acquainted  with  several  of  the  professors,  and  am  on  terms 
of  intimacy  and  friendship;  particularly  with  the  former  profes- 
sor of  Obstetrics,  to  wit,  Dr.  Rogers,  and  the  latter  Dr.  Hosack. 
I  have  had  personal  views  with  Doctors  De  Witt,  Romayne, 
Mitchill,  and  Stringham^;   they  have  always  spoken  very  respect- 

1  James  Sykes  Stringham  (1775-1817)  at  this  time  Professor  of 
Jurisprudence  in  Columbia  was  bom  in  New  York,  but  died  in  the 
Island  of  St.  Croix,  where  he  went  in  search  of  health.  He  studied 
Theology  originally,  but  abandoned  it  for  medicine.  On  his  return 
from  medical  studies  in  Edinburgh  he  settled  in  New  York  and  was 
chosen  Professor  of  Chemistry.    He  wrote  chiefly  on  the  Absorbents. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY     209 

fully  of  our  Institution,  and  have  always  pledged  themselves  to 
render  us  whatever  assistance  was  in  their  power.  I  have  this  day, 
received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Hosack  congratulating  me  on  my  appoint- 
ment as  one  of  the  professors,  and  promising  me  every  assistance 
in  his  power,  whether  by  his  pubUc  lectures,  or  private  interviews. 
The  above,  is  the  evidence  which  gives  me  some  reason  to  beUeve 
you  may  labour  under  a  mistake  as  to  the  opinion  formed  of  some 
of  the  N.  Y.  Professors  on  the  score  of  Rivalship.  But,  Sir,  your 
superior  opportunity  in  forming  an  opinion,  would  incline  me 
strongly  to  give  up  mine  and  follow  your  dictates,  if  it  was  in  my 
power  at  this  time,  but  as  it  is  not,  I  must  do  the  best  I  can,  and 
perhaps  I  may  in  future  go  to  Philadelphia.  Will  you  be  so  good 
as  to  write  me  in  N.  York,  your  opinion  of  the  best  writers  on  the 
Obstet:  Department? 

Mr.  Alexander  and  Dr.  Noyes  are  to  advise  the  time  when  your 
lectures  are  to  commence.  With  much  respect,  your  Ob'd't.  Ser't. 
Westel  Willoughby,  Jun." 

A  few  days  before  setting  off  for  Fairfield  Dr.  Spalding 
informed  Dr.  Shattuck  of  his  plans  and  must  have  been  glad 
to  receive  this  interesting  answer. 

"Boston,  Oct.  16,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  I  will  endeavor  to  be  at 
Fairfield  the  Wednesday  preceding  the  9th  of  December.  The 
Albany  Stage  leaves  Boston  on  Mondays,  Wednesdays  and  Fri- 
days at  6  O'c,  A.M.,  and  at  this  season  of  the  year  arrives  at  Albany 
the  third  day  after  its  departure  from  Boston.  I  shall  say  nothing 
of  our  obligations  for  your  kind  congratulation  on  our  marriage, 
but  refer  the  exercise  of  that  duty  to  the  time  when  we  shall  have 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  yourself,  with  or  without  Mrs.  Spalding,  as 
may  be  the  case,  at  our  house,  where  you  may  be  certain  of  a  hearty 
welcome  from  Mrs.  Shattuck  and  myseK. 

With  much  esteem,  etc,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

Dr.  Spalding  spent  an  October  day  with  the  Shattucks, 
proceeded  to  Fairfield  where  fifty  students  attended  and  a 
number  of  operations  were  performed  by  him.  Dr.  Shat- 
tuck as  before  followed  on,  and  gave  his  course  of  lectures 
and  for  a  second  year  in  succession  wrote,  upon  his  return, 
to  Dr.  Spalding  who  was  now  home  again. 

"Boston,  January  5,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  In  consequence  of  an 
anxiety  among  our  Fairfield  Medical  Students  to  return  to  their 
homes  on  or  before  New  Year's  Day,  I  was  requested  to  meet  the 
class  three  times  a  day  which  completed  my  term  of  giving  lectiures 
last  Saturday.  In  so  doing  I  gratified  three  fourths,  and  did  not 
disobUge    the    remaining    fourth.    Respecting    Fairfield,    nothing 


210  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

prospective  has  to  my  Knowledge  yet  transpired.  Rev.  C.  Alex- 
ander sends  his  respects,  says  he  shall  wiite  to  you  as  soon  as  the 
fate  of  the  contemplated  Oneida  project  ^  shall  be  kno-v\Ti.  On  the 
arrival  of  the  next  mail  from  Albany  I  expect  to  learn  the  result. 
This  is  certain,  that  General  Piatt  ^  is  engaged  with  gi-eat  zeal  in 
promoting  the  undertaking.  I  left  this  impression  on  their  minds; 
that,  should  the  Fairfield  Medical  School  go  completely  down,  and 
another  more  flourishing  Institution  be  built  on  its  ruins,  we  should 
probablj''  feel  disposed  to  co-operate  with  them;  otherwise,  we 
should  retire.  I  collected  Manter's  bill,^  and  by  the  bearer  send 
the  amount.  Two  dollars  of  counterfeit  money,  which  Mary 
Smith  ^  said  she  received  of  you,  I  exchanged  for  other  money,  and 
this  gives  you  but  $10.50/100  of  good  money.  The  bills  of  the 
remaining  delinquents  I  left  with  the  Treasurer  and  send  his  receipt. 

About  an  hour  after  your  departure  from  Fairfield,  a  letter  came 
to  you  by  mail.  Agreeably  to  the  advice  of  the  Hon.  Nathan 
Smith  and  of  Wm.  Smith,  I  opened  it  to  learn  if  its  contents  ren- 
dered it  necessary  to  send  it  by  express  to  you  at  Little  Falls.  Not 
finding  any  necessity  for  taxmg  you  with  so  much  expense,  I  re- 
tained the  letter  and  now  send  it  to  you.  A  number  of  the  printed 
Catalogues  I  now  forward. 

I  will  send  you,  hereafter,  the  outline  of  a  College  which  I  drew 
up,  in  which  I  took  due  care  to  mention  your  voyage  to  Europe  at 
the  expense  of  the  Institution  to  procure  Library,  etc. 

Mrs.  Shattuck  and  my  friends  are  highly  gratified  with  your 
call,  on  your  return,  for  which  be  pleased  to  accept  the  tender  of 
my  acknowledgements  and  likewise  of  my  best  wishes  in  every 
event  that  may  await  you.    Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

A  few  days  later  an  upheaval  occurred  in  the  Legislature 
which  greatly  affected  the  fortunes  of  Fairfield.  Mr. 
Alexander  wrote  concerning  it  to  Dr.  Shattuck  and  asked 
him  to  pass  the  news  on  to  Portsmouth.  Judge  Smith  also 
wrote  on  the  same  day  to  Dr.  Spalding  and  to  Dr.  Shattuck, 
but  his  letter  failed  to  catch  that  week's  mail.  Immediately 
after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Alexander's  letter,  and  one  from 
Dr.  Spalding  on  other  topics,  Dr.  Shattuck  wrote  to  this 
effect: 

^  The  Oneida  project  was  to  obtain  a  College  Charter  for  Oneida 
Academy,  instead  of  Fairfield. 

2  General  Jonas  Piatt,  as  a  politician.  Member  of  Congress,  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Court  and  General  of  the  Militia,  carried  everything 
before  him. 

'  Mantcr,  was  a  medical  student. 

*  Mary  Smith,  was  daughter  of  William,  with  whom  Dr.  Spalding 
boarded,  in  the  "elegant  room"  before  mentioned. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    211 

"Boston,  Jan.  22nd,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Yours  arrived  yesterday. 
I  rejoice  at  your  successful  prosecution  of  your  anatomical  studies^ 
since  your  return  from  Fairfield.  I  verily  believe  that  at  no  very 
distant  period  you  will  not  only  merit,  but  actually  enjoy  the  fruits 
of  the  highest  reputation  as  an  Anatomist  in  the  United  States. 
There  is  one  Mr.  Pons  in  this  town  who  sells  the  plano-convex 
lenses  adapted  to  the  vision  of  those  who  have  lost  the  crystal- 
line lens.  His  skill  in  adjusting  the  convexity  of  the  glass  to  the 
flattened  state  of  the  eye,  and  his  price  are  alike  unknown  to 
me.  This,  I  know,  that  they  are  usually  sold  at  an  extravagant 
price. 

All  the  facilities  to  your  removal  to  N.  Y.,  within  my  power  you 
may  command:  should  opportunity  offer  I  will  send  you  a  pur- 
chaser. 

To  day  I  received  a  letter  signed  by  C.  A.,  J.  M.,  and  J.  N.,^ 
apprising  me  of  what  had  been  done  in  Oneida  County. 

"The  Corporation  of  the  New  College  selected  from  the  most 
influential  of  all  parties  in  Oneida  County  and  the  Western  District 
have  chosen  C.  Alexander,  President;  J.  Noyes:  L.  Spalding;  G. 
C.  Shattuck;  and  W.  Willoughby,  Professors  in  the  Medical  De- 
partment as  at  Fairfield;  J.  Montague,  etc,  Tutors.  Gen.  Piatt, 
is  understood  to  be  at  the  head  and  the  assurances  of  him  and  his 
coadjutors  to  confirm  the  above,  when  a  Charter  may  be  obtained, 
are  so  satisfactory  to  the  instructors  of  Fairfield,  that  they  have 
written  to  me." 

"To  morrow  (15  Inst)  we  shall  resign  offices  in  this  Academy 
and  accept  the  honorary  appointments." 

"Dr.  Willoughby  was  with  us  to  day  and  has  left  in  writing  his 
acceptance.  If  you  and  Dr.  Spalding  concur,  you  will  please  to 
send  in,  as  soon  as  you  think  proper,  your  resignation  of  the  offices 
you  now  hold  in  Fairfield  Academy,  and  the  acceptance  of  the  ap- 
pointments in  the  contemplated  College." 

I  shall  delay  my  reply  until  I  learn  your  disposition  in  relation 
to  the  change.  Respecting  resigning  our  offices  at  Fairfield,  I  pre- 
sume you  will  not  hesitate  a  moment,  to  declare  your  assent,  as, 
after  Noyes  and  Willoughby  have  left,  it  can  be  no  object  for  us 
to  remain.  Willoughby  declared  his  full  confidence  in  the  success 
of  the  Oneida  Enterprize  of  Gen.  Piatt,  and  his  friends  became  its 
zealous  advocates.  Gen.  Piatt,  and  friends,  I  understand,  take 
the  lead.  Willoughby  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  Trustees  of 
Fairfield  would  nevermore  think  of  re-instating  the  Medical  De- 
partment. All  these  are  received  as  Facts.  What  is  your  opinion 
of  the  course  to  pursue?  Your  answer  is  desired  soon.  With  much 
Esteem,  Your  friend  G.  C.  Shattuck." 

1  The  initials  by  Dr.  Shattuck  refer  to  C.  Alexander,  J.  Montague, 
and  J.  Noyes,  whom  Dr.  Shattuck  wished  to  conceal. 


212  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

This  letter  and  the  reply  throw  light  on  the  educational 
histoid  of  New  York,  for  it  is  still  said  that  "Hamilton  Col- 
lege was  founded  in  spite  of  the  vicious  opposition  of  Fair- 
field" yet  here  we  see  a  plot  to  ruin  Fairfield,  a  flourishing 
Academy.  The  Charter  for  a  College  should  have  been 
granted  to  Fairfield,  but  politics  threw  it  as  a  sop  to  Oneida. 
A  compromise  was  finally  effected,  Oneida  Academy  be- 
coming Hamilton  College,  and  Fairfield  obtaining  a  Medical 
School  with  power  to  grant  degrees. 

Dr.  Spalding's  very  sensible  reply  to  Dr.  Shattuck  is  un- 
dated in  the  copy  before  me. 

"My  Friend:  Your  letter  of  the  22nd  inst.,  was  one  of  the  most 
unexpected  events  in  my  whole  life  and  as  you  request  an  answer, 
soon,  I  shall  communicate  my  present  ideas  by  return  mail.  Tak- 
ing all  for  granted  that  you  communicate  to  me,  I  see  no  necessity 
for  resigning  om  offices  at  Fairfield  before  we  are  officially  notified 
of  our  appointments  in  Oneida  College  after  it  shall  have  been 
chartered.  For,  if  ever  chartered  it  will  be  at  the  present  session 
of  the  Regents.  The  Trustees  of  Fairfield  have  treated  me 
honorably.  I  am  boimd  to  return  the  same  treatment  to  them. 
I  accepted  my  office  conditionally:  i.e.  that  I  should  go  to  Europe. 
They  have  not  refused  complying  with  their  part.  If  they  should 
refuse  I  am  exonerated.  Another  condition  was,  that  if  the  School 
should  not  succeed,  I  should  be  at  liberty  to  resign  at  any  time. 
Now,  if  Willoughby  and  Noyes  go  off,  and  another  school  is 
founded  with  better  funds,  I  think  that  Fairfield  cannot  succeed, 
and  I  should  resign  on  that  ground.  If  I  should  be  honored 
with  an  appointment  in  the  Oneida  College,  after  it  is  Chartered, 
I  certainly  should  not  accept  it  under  less  favorable  cncmn- 
stances  than  I  accepted  the  Fairfield  appointment;  i.e..  Ticket 
fees,  rooms  furnished,  a  salary  from  the  funds,  and  a  European 
Voyage. 

Again:  as  honourable  treatment  has  been  extended  to  me  from 
the  Fairfield  Academy,  and  as  a  matter  of  policy  too,  I  think  that 
the  removal  of  the  School  ought  to  be  accomplished  with  the  en- 
tire satisfaction  of  the  Trustees,  say,  the  Museum,  Chemical  ap- 
paratus, etc,  should  be  bought  by  the  Oneidas.  Fairfield  should 
be  allowed  the  whole  of  the  5,000  dollar  grant  to  defray  the  ex- 
penses they  have  been  at  in  erecting  buildings,  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  students,  and  every  other  means,  to  render  them  satisfied 
with  the  removal  of  the  Medical  School  to  Oneida,  should  be 
adopted. 

As  this  is  a  matter  of  so  much  importance  to  us  both,  I  \vill 
thank  you  to  make  me  acquainted  with  every  circumstance  relative 
to  it,  that  may  come  to  your  knowledge,  and  I  will  not  faU  to  ad- 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    213 

vise  you  of  every  communication  that  I  may  receive  touching  it. 
Lyman  Spalding. 

P.  S.  I  shall  write  to  Judge  Smith  in  a  day  or  two  concerning  a 
weaving  machine;  but  shall  say  nothing  of  this." 

No  sooner  had  this  letter  been  forwarded  than  Judge 
Smith's  letter  of  the  same  date  as  that  written  by  Mr. 
Alexander  arrived. 

"Fairfield,  16th  January,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Yesterday  morning, 
precisely  at  the  time  the  quarter  was  to  commence  in  our  Insti- 
tution, Mr.  Alexander,  Mr.  Montague  and  Doct'r  Noyes  sent  in 
their  resignations  to  the  Senior  Trustee  of  this  board,  without  hav- 
ing previously  given  the  least  intimation  to  any  person  here  of  their 
intention.  Such  an  unexpected  and  unlooked  for  occurrence  has 
occasioned  no  small  degree  of  embarrassment  to  the  Trustees.  They 
have,  however,  taken  such  measures  as  I  doubt  not  will  very  soon 
supply  their  places  with  characters  at  least  their  equal. 

As  to  Dr.  Noyes,  and  Mr.  Montague  I  have  nothing  to  say,  be- 
cause their  resignation,  sudden  as  it  was,  is  not  calculated  to  pro- 
duce such  immediate  difficulty  and  embarrassment,  as  that  of  Mr. 
Alexander.  The  Transaction  on  his  part  meets  the  disapproba- 
tion and  Censure  of  every  one.  Had  he  given  proper  notice  to  the 
Trustees  of  his  intention  to  resign,  so  that  they  could  have  had  an 
opportunity  to  procure  a  successor  in  time  to  meet  his  departure, 
I  should  have  attached  no  blame  to  him;  the  Trustees  would  not; 
he  might  have  gone  with  Honor.  But  the  step  he  has  taken  ex- 
cites resentment  in  all.  He  will  go,  but  he  leaves  not  a  friend  be- 
hind. The  procedure  carries  with  it  irresistible  conviction,  that 
with  his  secession,  he  meant  to  draw  down  inevitable  ruin  and  de- 
struction on  this  Institution.  But,  thank  God,  the  Trustees  are 
spirited,  the  people  are  spirited,  and  I  have  the  fullest  confidence 
we  shall  yet  rise  superior  to  intrigue  and  treachery.  By  tliis  time, 
you  may  think  it  necessary  that  I  tell  you  where  they  are  going. 
I  will  tell  you.  They  are  going  to  Clinton  Academy,  the  trustees 
of  which  have  always  considered  us  as  their  rivals,  and  who,  it 
seems,  despak  of  the  success  of  their  institution,  except  by  the  de- 
struction of  OURS.  A  subscription  is  on  foot  here,  to  aid  in  the 
endowment  of  a  College,  very  considerable  sums  will  be  raised, 
and  a  Petition  presented  to  the  Regents  for  a  Charter. 

I  have  thought  proper  to  communicate  the  above  to  you,  be- 
cause I  am  told  they  intend  to  apply  to  you  and  Dr.  Shattuck  to 
join  them,  and  accept  Professorships  in  that  Institution.  Should 
that  be  the  case,  I  beg  you  to  defer  an  answer  until  you  hear 
from  me  at  Albany.  I  am  Respectfully,  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't  N. 
Smith." 


214  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Whilst  these  letters  were  speeding  to  and  fro,  Dr.  Spald- 
ing wrote  to  Judge  Smith  concerning  Mr.  De  Witt  Clinton, 
and  Judge  Smith,  ignoring  the  Academic  Crisis,  devotes  his 
letter  to  an  account  of  this  great  statesman  and  friend  of  Dr. 
Spalding,  when  he  moved  to  New  York. 

"Albanj^,  6th  Feby.  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Yours  of  the  1st  Inst, 
came  to  hand  this  morning.  I  will  endeavor  to  answer  your  in- 
quiries respecting  Mr.  Chnton  as  well  as  I  am  able,  although  you, 
as  well  as  we  here,  have  been  deceived  in  the  report  that  Mr.  Clin- 
ton has  been  nominated.  But,  as  such  a  thing  may  happen,  per- 
haps the  information  you  ask,  may  yet  be  important. 

De  Witt  Clinton  is  the  son  of  General  James  Clinton  of  the 
County  of  Orange  in  this  State.  He  is  nephew  to  the  Vice  Presi- 
dent, George  Clinton,  and  cousin  to  the  Surveyor  General.  His 
parents  and  connections,  originally,  were  not  of  that  Class  who 
were  considered  to  be  wealthy.  He  is  not  connected  in  any  way 
with  the  Patroons,  either  of  the  Rensellaer  or  Livingstone  families. 
He  commenced  his  career  in  pubhc  life  about  the  year  1796,  and 
since,  has  been  to  the  best  of  my  recollection,  constantly,  either  in 
the  Legislature  of  this  State  or  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States. 
He  has  been  Mayor  of  the  City  of  New  York  (excepting  one  or  two 
years)  for  ten  years  past,  and  he  is  now  Lt.  Gov'r  of  this  State. 
Thus,  Sir,  I  have  endeavoured  to  answer  your  inquiries  respecting 
Mr.  Chnton.  Whether  he  wiU  be  ultimately  nominated  for  Presi- 
dent, I  am  doubtful.  I  rather  think  there  will  be  no  nomination 
made  at  Washington,  and  if  this  should  be  the  case,  I  apprehend 
Mr.  Clinton  wdU  stand  a  great  chance  to  be  our  next  President. 
This,  however,  is  aU  conjectiue.^ 

I  wrote  you  a  few  days  before  I  left  Fairfield,  but  from  your 
silence  on  the  subject  of  my  letter,  I  presume  you  have  not  rec'd 
the  letter  I  'WTote.  It  was  relating  altogether  to  our  Institution, 
but  as  I  presume  you  must  have  rec'd  it  before  this,  I  shall  say 
nothing  on  the  subject  than  barely  to  state,  that  we  are  making 
every  exertion  in  our  power  to  improve  the  situation  of  our  affairs, 
and  Mr.  Alexander  is  here,  making  all  the  opposition  in  his  power. 
I  shall  wTite  you  in  due  time,  of  our  good  or  ill  success.  I  am  Y'r 
Humble  Serv't.  N.  Smith." 

A  few  items  from  Dr.  Shattuck  arriving  about  this  date 
make  up  for  the  reticence  on  the  part  of  Judge  Smith. 

*  De  Witt  Clinton  (1769-1828)  was  graduated  at  Princeton,  studied 
law  and  acted  as  Secretary  to  his  Uncle,  the  Vice  President.  During 
his  many  governorships  he  obtained  repeal  of  laws  against  the  Roman- 
ists, a  Charter  for  the  first  American  Fire  Insurance  Company,  and  he 
completed  the  Erie  Canal,  which  was  known  as  "Clinton's  Big  Ditch." 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    215 

"Boston,  16  February,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Yours,  comprising  the 
pith  of  the  Hon.  Nathan  Smith's  letter,  arrived  in  due  time  for 
which  be  pleased  to  accept  my  thanks,  although  the  same,  verba- 
tim, had  previously  been  received,  which  I  should  have  communi- 
cated to  you,  but  from  the  presumption  that  he  would  write  you  at 
the  same  time.  Dr.  Noyes  has  just  written  from  Albany,  dilating 
somewhat  more  at  large  on  the  proceedings  of  the  Chntonians  and 
Fairfieldians.  He  says,  for  the  Clinton  College,  above  $12,000 
have  been  subscribed,  and  that  $25,000  would  probably  ultimately 
be  raised  by  subscription;  that  Messrs  Alexander  and  Hart  ^  two 
pohticians  had  been  appomted  by  the  Trustees  to  petition  the 
Regents  for  a  College,  that  he  would  communicate  to  me  from 
time  to  time,  the  progi'ess  of  their  joint  proceedings.  From  what 
Gov.  Tompkins  said  about  Mr.  Alexander  diu-ing  a  short  inter- 
view I  had  with  him  in  company  with  Mr.  Tiffany  and  Dr.  Noyes 
at  Albany  on  my  return  in  December  from  Fairfield,  I  think  he  is 
desirous  of  seeing  him  the  President  of  a  College.  Policy,  may, 
however,  prevent  his  lending  his  influence  to  effect  it.  In  haste, 
but  with  much  respect,  Yom-s  etc,  G.  C.  Shattuck." 

The  end  of  March  brought  a  great  bit  of  news  from  Judge 
Smith  as  the  readers  of  his  letter  will  admit. 

"Albany,  March  12th,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  delayed  answer- 
ing yours  of  the  13th  ult.  some  time  longer  than  I  should  otherwise 
have  done,  in  hopes  of  being  able  to  give  a  satisfactory  and  con- 
clusive answer  to  all  your  inquiries  respecting  College,  Academies, 
etc,  but  as  I  see  no  prospect  of  a  decision  of  the  Regents  being  had 
in  less  than  two  or  three  weeks,  and  the  possibility  that  a  longer 
silence  might  be  construed  into  neglect,  I  am  induced  to  give  you 
the  little  information  I  possess  on  the  subject,  and  more,  when  I 
can  obtain  it.  As  to  Colleges,  I  am  of  the  opinion  there  will  be 
none  granted  anywhere,  this  year,  but  I  do  believe  we  shall  obtain 
what  you  thought  of  so  much  more  importance  to  the  Medical 
School,  to  wit,  an  Ordinance  of  the  Regents  to  confer  degrees  on 
the  medical  students. 

I  have  called  once  or  twice  on  the  Governor  ^  to  converse  with 
him  on  the  subject  of  your  removal  to  N.  York,  but  he  was  so  en- 

1  Tiffany,  Alexander  and  "Eph"  Hart,  were  politicians,  very  active 
in  behalf  of  Mr.  Clinton. 

2  Daniel  Duane  Tompkins  (1774-1835)  (The  Governor)  was  a 
graduate  of  Columbia,  a  lawyer  and  politician.  He  had  been  Member 
of  Congress  and  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  when  he  was  chosen 
Governor.  The  money  which  he  personally  advanced  to  the  Govern- 
ment during  the  War  of  1812  was  of  untold  value  from  a  military  point 
of  view.  He  was  twice  elected  Vice  President  of  the  United  States, 
but  at  the  height  of  his  popularity,  he  was  accused  of  juggling  State 


216  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

gaged  with  company  that  I  could  not  do  it.  I  shall,  however,  take 
the  earUest  opportunity  to  converse  with  him  and  write  you  the 
results.  I  have  seen  Mr.  Clinton.  He  says  that  there  are  not 
more  than  one  or  two  surgeons  in  N.  Y.,  of  any  importance,  that 
he  thuiks  it  would  be  a  very  good  place  for  you,  but  that  it  would 
take  some  time  to  gain  such  an  acquaintance  as  to  obtain  an  ex- 
tensive practice.  He  expressed  his  readiness  to  do  you  all  the 
service  in  his  power,  and  said  he  would  endeavor  to  get  you  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, which  would  give  you  a  respectable  standing  at  once.  I 
shall  -v^Tite  you  again  more  particularly  in  a  few  days  —  in  the 
meantime,  I  am  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't  N.  Smith." 

The  appointment  to  the  Trusteeship  soon  arrived  and 
proved  of  material  benefit  in  obtaining  for  Dr.  Spalding  im- 
mediate medical  recognition  upon  his  arrival  to  the  metrop- 
olis. 

A  few  days  later  Dr.  Josiah  Noyes  wrote  in  this  triumphal 
tone  concerning  the  Charter  granted  to  Oneida  Academy  as 
Hamilton  College. 

"Albany,  21  March,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Some  time  since  I  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  Dr.  Shattuck,  and  beipg  very  much  engaged, 
requested  him  to  transmit  the  substance  of  it  to  you,  which  he 
informs  he  has  done.  Since  that  time  I  have  thought  proper  not 
to  trouble  you  with  conjectures,  knowing  that  I  could  not  induce 
others  to  place  the  same  confidence  in  certain  measures,  which  I 
felt,  myseK.  But,  now  all  this  is  settled.  Last  Monday  the 
Regents  authorized  the  Governor  to  issue  a  Charter  of  a  University, 
as  soon  as  he  should  be  satisfied  that  the  funds  should  amount  to 
50,000  Dollars,  including  what  they  now  have  besides  buildings; 
to  be  placed  at  Clinton;  and  to  be  called  Hamilton  College.  Judge 
Smith,  Doctr.  Sheldon,^  and  Judge  Gates  ^  voted  against  it,  all  the 
rest  for  it.  I  came  to  this  City  before  the  Legislatm-e  assembled  and 
have  been  here  ever  since.  Soon  after  I  came,  I  called  on  the  Gov :, 
and  Lieut.  Gov:,  and  satisfied  myseK  that  they  would  do  much  for 
the  people  in  Oneida  Co :,  but  nothing  for  Fairfield,  and  they  have 

Money  with  his  own,  some  years  before.  His  home  was  seized  by  the 
sheriff,  and  his  wife,  but  lately  confined,  was  thrust  out  into  the  road 
with  her  new  born  infant.  Vice  President  Tompkins  fell  into  ignominy, 
and  died  insane.  The  Courts  at  last  decreed  that  he  had  been  wholly 
innocent.  But  their  opinion  was  too  late.  A  more  villainous  perse- 
cution was  never  known  in  American  Politics. 

1  Dr.  Alexander  Sheldon  (1766-1836)  had  long  been  a  physician  in 
Montgomery  Co.  N.  Y.  and  was  at  this  time  Speaker  of  the  House  and 
one  of  the  Regents  of  the  State. 

2  Judge  Seth  Gates  Uved  at  Winfield,  Herkimer  County. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    217 

not  deceived  us.  The  Fairfield  people  have  made  great  efforts  to 
gain  a  Charter,  but  had  we  all  remained  there  and  united  our  ex- 
ertions, we  should  have  gained  nothing.  I  am  told,  that  all  say 
that  I  have  acted  honorably,  but  Mr.  Alexander  is  cursed  by 
night  and  by  day  and  I  expect  they  will  soon  call  on  Hercules  to 
help  curse  him.  He  is  not,  however,  moved,  having  sufficient  testi- 
monials of  his  giving  reasonable  notice  of  his  intention  to  leave 
them,  unless  they  comphed  with  his  request.  He  is  going  home  to 
morrow  to  settle  his  affairs  at  Fairfield,  and  to  move  inamediately 
to  Clinton. 

A  Bill  is  before  the  House  for  funds,  has  passed  a  second  reading. 
The  blank  sum  is  not  filled,  but  we  are  in  hopes  of  getting  100  or 
200  Thousand  Dollars.  There  is  no  doubt  of  getting  a  handsome 
sum,  as  the  whole  business  is  very  popular  with  the  Legislature, 
and  people  in  general.  I  expect  to  stay  here  till  the  fate  of  the 
Bill  is  decided,  which  must  be  in  three  weeks  as  the  Legislature  will 
rise  at  that  time.  We  are  daily  making  arrangements  for  the  next 
course  of  lectures.  As  soon  as  the  Trustees  who  are  here  and 
members  of  the  House  go  home,  a  meeting  of  the  Trustees  will  be 
called,  and  you  and  Dr.  Shattuck  will  receive  official  commimica- 
tions,  which  cannot  be  done  short  of  four  weeks. 

All  the  steps  which  have  been  taken  meet  with  general  appro- 
bation, and  that  it  will  be  the  greatest  college  in  America,  is  an 
observation  frequently  made  by  men  of  good  understanding.  As 
yet,  every  attempt  to  brand  any  measure  with  the  character  of 
party  spirit,  has  failed. 

The  Gov:,  has  repeatedly  declared  himself  satisfied  with  the 
professors,  and  appears  to  have  a  high  opinion  of  Mr.  Alexander 
who  has  called  on  the  Gov:,  L't  Gov:,  and  other  officers  once,  twice, 
and  sometimes  three  times  a  day,  until,  in  my  opinion,  they  must  be  a 
httle  fatigued,  and  will  rejoice  when  the  business  is  finished.  Shall 
write  you  as  soon  as  anything  is  done.  In  the  meantime,  would 
receive  a  communication  from  you:  if  in  two  weeks,  at  this  place 
and  after,  at  Clinton,  in  Paris.^ 

Yours  Respectfully,  Josiah  Noyes. 

P.  S.  Mr.  Clinton  is  to  be  the  next  President  of  the  U.  S.,  and 
to  unite  both  parties.  Please  to  remember  me  to  D.  Webster, 
Esq., 2  who  I  hope  is  rising  in  the  scale  of  honor  and  justice  and  will 
soon  become  a  star  in  the  East  of  the  first  magnitude.  No  time 
for  more  on  Politics.    J.  N." 

^  "Paris"  may  have  been,  at  that  time,  one  of  the  Counties  of  New 
York. 

2  Daniel  Webster  was  in  Dr.  Noyes'  Class  at  Dartmouth,  and  lived 
on  intimate  terms  with  Dr.  Spalding  in  Portsmouth.  Dr.  Spalding's 
son  and  Webster's  son  continued  this  friendship  through  another 
generation. 


218  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

It  is  verj^  plain,  from  previous  letters,  that  the  assertions 
bandied  about  so  freely  by  Mr.  Alexander  and  others,  that 
Dr.  Spalding  and  Dr.  Shattuck  had  joined  forces  with  the 
new  Medical  Department  of  Hamilton  College,  had  much 
to  do  with  the  legislative  preference  for  Clinton  over  Fair- 
field. 

Mr.  Alexander  also  seems  to  have  written  to  Dr.  Shattuck 
much  to  the  same  effect  as  had  Dr.  Noyes,  if  we  judge  from 
his  letter  to  Dr.  Spalding. 

"Boston,  March  23rd,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  The  mail  this  day 
brought  me  a  letter  from  Mr.  Alexander,  which  informs  us  that  a 
College  has  been  chartered  at  Clinton  under  the  name  of  Hamil- 
ton College,  on  condition  that  theii'  present  fund,  amounting  to 
28,000  dollars  is  increased  to  50,000.  He  further  informs  me,  that 
the  Legislature  seems  favorably  disposed  toward  such  an  Institution ; 
that  a  petition  is  prepared  to  soUcit  their  aid;  that  he  entertains 
not  the  least  doubt  of  success  in  the  application  for  pecuniary  aid 
to  the  amount  of  22,000  dollars.  All  this  information,  together 
with  his  compliments  he  requested  me  to  forward  to  his  friend  Dr. 
Spalding. 

It  is  quite  healthy  in  Boston  for  the  season,  and  has  been  ever 
since  my  return  from  Fairfield.  The  most  news  here,  has  been 
derived  from  the  petty  collisions  among  our  aspii'ing  Faculty. 
Hitherto,  I  have  found  no  one  to  advise  to  Portsmouth  for  the 
purchase  of  your  Estabhshment.  Our  young  physicians,  you 
know,  are  generally  too  poor  to  make  purchases  to  any  considerable 
amount.  —  I  am.  My  Dear  Sir,  Your  Obdt.  Servt.  G.  C.  Shattuck." 

Dr.  Shattuck  returns  to  the  topic  a  few  days  later  and 
his  remarks  concerning  the  voyage  to  Europe  are  worth 
reading. 

"Boston,  March  27,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Yours  of  yesterday  just 
came  to  hand.  Respecting  the  point  you  are  so  poUte  as  to  re- 
quest my  opinion,  I  can  answer  little  else  than  that  much  may  be 
said  on  both  sides.  The  interest  of  Hamilton  College  requires 
your  voyage  to  Europe,  not  so  much  to  increase  your  eclat  as  a 
Professor  as  to  procure  a  well  selected  medical  library,  philosophical 
apparatus  etc.  I  entertain  Uttle  doubt  that  you  would  be  liberally 
furnished,  even  the  present  season  with  the  means,  as  Dr.  Noyes 
writes  (by  the  last  mail)  "A  Bill  for  funds  is  now  before  the  House; 
passed  a  second  reading,  and  will  doul^tless  pass,  with  50  or  200 
THOUSAND:  the  last  sum,  we  hope." 

Gov.  T.,  L't  Gov.  D.  C,  and  the  Chief  Justice  have  been  the 
efficient  patrons  of  this  new  University,  in  procuring  it  a  Charter, 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    219 

endowment,  etc.  All  the  principal  men  in  Oneida  Co.  are  en- 
gaged with  zeal  in  building  it  up.  On  this,  I  predicate  the  ex- 
pectation that  you  would  be  furnished  the  means  for  a  voyage, 
but,  after  all,  I  think  your  interest  hardly  requii-es  you  to  go  abroad. 
You  will  lose  a  year  by  it,  and,  after  your  return  your  claims  will 
be  little  altered  in  relation  to  the  patronage  of  the  public.  A  man 
who  bears  the  marks  of  middle  age,  and  who  has  furnished  proof 
so  convincing  of  a  well  directed  diligence  in  all  his  labors  to  acquire 
the  power  of  usefulness  has  Uttle  need  of  aid  to  his  fame  by  the 
reputation  of  having  "gone  abroad." 

As  the  friend  of  Hamilton  College,  I  wish  you  to  go  abroad,  as  a 
friend  to  the  interests  of  your  family,  I  think  you  will  be  likely  to 
lose  quite  as  much  as  you  will  gain  by  the  enterprise.  Now  is  the 
time  to  improve  Mr.  Clinton's  disposition  to  patronize  you.  To 
the  First  Chair  of  State  he  aspires.  New  England  politics  are  a 
necessary  item  in  the  general  account  which  places  him  there.  The 
hope  that  you  will  successfully  exercise  your  influence  in  directing 
New  Hampshire  in  his  favor,  will  probably  give  him  zeal  in  the  use 
of  all  convenient  means  to  give  you  currency  as  a  practitioner  in 
the  healing  art  in  New  York  City. 

On  writing  to  Judge  Smith  I  will  improve  your  hint. 

With  unabated  desires  for  your  prosperity,  I  am,  Dear  Sir,  Your 
Friend,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

At  this  interesting  juncture  we  have  another  letter  from 
Judge  Smith. 

"Albany,  18th.  March,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  now  to  inform 
you  of  the  event  of  the  Oneida  apphcation  for  a  College.  They 
have  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  Charter  on  condition  they  can 
obtain  a  fund  of  50,000  dollars.  About  13,000  of  this  sum  they  had 
already  obtained  by  individual  subscription.  The  remainder,  I 
presume,  they  intend  to  obtain  from  the  Legislature.  I  should  say 
I  doubted  their  success  with  the  Legislature,  but  as  I  have  been 
so  much  disappointed  in  the  decision  of  the  Regents,  I  will  not  pre- 
tend again  to  predict  what  may  be  done.  I  have  been  disappointed 
because  from  a  frequent  conversation  with  a  majority  of  the  Board, 
who  expressed  themselves  against  granting  any  Charter  for  a  Col- 
lege, I  did  conclude  there  would  have  been  none  granted.  But  so 
is  the  fact,  they  had  a  majority  of  2  in  their  favor.  No  decision 
has  been  made  on  the  apphcation  from  Fairfield  to  confer  degrees 
on  the  medical  students,  and  none  can  be  expected  for  some  time  to 
come,  for  reasons  which  I  shall  hereafter  mention.  Whether  if 
this  could  be  obtained,  it  would  be  any  advancement  to  yourseK 
and  the  other  Gentlemen  Professors  to  continue  at  Fairfield,  must 
be  left  for  you  and  them  to  determine. 

I  have  not  had  an  opportunity  to  converse  with  the  Gov.,  on  the 


220  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

subject  of  3'our  removal  to  N.  Y.,  but  have  again  conversed  with 
Mr.  Clinton  who  I  am  persuaded  will  give  you  all  the  support  in 
his  power,  and  as  an  earnest  of  this  I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform 
you;  that  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Regents,  he  proposed  you  as 
one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in 
N,  Y.,  and  you  were  unanimously  appointed. 

1  must  tell  you  why  I  thmk  we  shall  not  get  any  decision  on  our 
Fairfield  apphcation  very  soon.  And  to  give  you  a  more  correct 
idea  of  the  state  of  things  here,  I  will  first  premise  that  the  Citizens 
of  N.  Y.  presented  a  petition  for  the  incorporation  of  a  Bank, 
against  which  Gov.  and  Judge  Spencer  ^  have,  as  the  saying  is,  set 
dowTi  their  foot.  But  as  there  was  no  remonstrance  against  it, 
from  that  City,  or  any  other  quarter  it  passed  the  House  of  As- 
sembly, and  m  Committee  of  the  whole  in  the  Senate,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  usual  course  would  have  had  its  third  and  last  reading 
on  Friday  morning  last;  to  prevent  which,  the  Gov'r  prorogued 
the  Legislature  to  the  21st  May  next.^  This  is  a  simple  state  of 
facts  on  which  as  I  have  given  no  vote,  I  shall  give  no  opinion.  I 
have  been  confined  to  my  room  a  number  of  days  by  indisposition. 
I  will  only  remark,  further,  that  the  reasons  given  by  the  Gov'r 
are,  that  some  attempts  have  been  made  to  bribe  some  of  the  mem- 
bers to  vote  in  favor  of  the  Bank.  Nothing  has  yet  appeared  to 
prove  that  any  member  has  been  improperly  influenced  in  this 
way.    I  am.  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't.  N.  Smith. 

N.  B.  I  am  in  hopes  to  be  able  to  return  to  Fairfield  soon,  when 
I  shall  expect  to  hear  from  you." 

The  whole  affair  remained  quiet  for  a  couple  of  months 
when  we  hear  of  it  again  in  a  letter  from  Dr.  Shattuck,  in 
which  he  amiounoed  his  final  determination  to  leave  Fair- 
field. 

"Boston,  May  20,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Your  arguments  in  relation 
to  the  shipwreck  of  my  professional  reputation  by  resigning  at  this 
moment  from  the  Fairfield  College  of  Physicians,  have  been  duly 
weighed.  On  balancing  all  the  motives  that  ought  to  enter  into 
a  consideration  of  this  subject,  a  sense  of  duty  to  my  friends  has 
finally  preponderated,  and  after  deciding  no  time  ought  to  be  lost 
in  making  that  decision  known  to  the  Trustees.    Accordingly,  I 

'  Judge  Ambrose  Spencer  (1765-1848)  was  Chief  Justice  of  the 
State.  His  principal  Decisions  were  against  the  Bank  of  North  America, 
in  favor  of  kind  treatment  of  the  Indians  and  against  a  short  term 
service  of  the  State  Judiciary. 

2  The  Governor's  prorogation  was  legal,  but  had  never  before  been 
exerci.sed.  Gov.  Tompkins  deemed  it  necessary  in  order  to  prevent 
financial  ruin  by  the  illegal  powers  conferred  upon  the  Bank  of  North 
America  and  which  he  declared  had  been  obtained  by  bribery. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    221 

have  sent  my  resignation  to  the  Senior  Trustee  of  Fairfield  Academy. 
To  have  resigned  sooner,  would  have  been  a  departure  from  the 
request  of  the  Hon.  Nathan  Smith,  communicated  last  winter. 
To  have  delayed  longer  my  resignation  would  have  been  unkind- 
ness  to  my  Faii-field  friends,  as  they  now  have  none  too  much  time 
to  procure  a  successor.  Not  to  have  resigned,  would  have  sown 
dissatisfaction,  and  distrust,  among  my  nearest  and  dearest  friends. 
These  considerations  will  doubtless  convince  you,  that  this  step  is 
necessary  on  my  part,  and  therefore  reconcile  you  to  it. 

With  the  veiy  best  wishes  for  your  weKare  and  happiness  both 
in  New  Hampshire,  and  New  York  as  well  as  in  Heaven,  I  am 
Dear  Sir,  Your  Friend,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

The  Legislature  of  New  York  convened  again  in  May  and 
decided  the  differences  between  the  rival  Institutions  as 
now  detailed  by  Mr.  Alexander  to  Dr.  Shattuck  and  in 
these  words  communicated  to  his  friend  in  Portsmouth. 

"Boston,  June  24th,  1812.  Dear  Sh :  "The  Legislature  of  (N.  Y.) 
this  day  passed  an  Act  endowing  Hamilton  College  with  $50,000. 
This  with  their  former  sum,  makes  $100,000." 

The  above  is  contained  ia  a  letter  from  Mr.  Alexander,  of  the  9th. 
He  further  writes,  that  on  the  14th  of  July  the  Trustees  meet, 
when  Drs.  N.,  Sp.,  W.  and  Sh.,  will  be  elected  to  the  same  places 
they  held  in  Fairfield  Academy.  He  also  writes,  that  through 
misrepresentation,  a  medical  College  has  been  estabhshed  at  Fair- 
field, the  Regents  having  been  assxu-ed  that  Dr.  Spalding  and  myself 
would  continue  our  places.  It  has  been  said  that  you  and  I  had 
written  to  that  effect  to  Judge  Smith,  but  the  Trustees  of  Hamilton 
will  unquestionably  have  the  medical  lectures  begia  next  FaU. 

The  package  by  Dr.  Lincoln,  I  sent  you  by  stage.  If  I  can  bor- 
row Corvisart  for  that  purpose  I  will  send  it  to  you  in  the  original. 
Truly  yours,  etc,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck. 

N.  B.    Do  you  intend  to  accept  your  place  in  Hamilton  College?" 

It  is  a  pleasure  at  this  point  to  be  able,  through  the  kind- 
ness of  Dr.  Frederick  C.  Shattuck,  to  insert  an  important 
note  which  Judge  Smith  now  wrote  to  Dr.  George  C.  Shat- 
tuck. 

"Fairfield,  July  13,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  should  have  written 
you  sooner  but  am  in  hopes  to  see  you  in  the  course  of  ten  days. 
We  have  obtained  a  Charter  for  a  Medical  College  with  an  en- 
dowment of  ten  thousand  doUars.  The  Trustees  will  depend  on 
you  and  Dr.  Spalding  to  continue  here.  I  will  give  you  a  particular 
account  of  everything  about  the  premises  when  I  see  you.  In 
haste,  your  sincerely,  N.  Smith." 


222  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

And  on  the  20th  July  Dr.  Shattuck  wrote  to  Dr.  Spalding : 

"The  Hon.  N.  Smith  is  in  town.  To  morrow  he  goes  to  Mendon 
and  Bridgewater,  and  on  Friday  at  noon  he  will  again  be  in  town. 
Can  you  not  be  here  at  that  time?  Write  me  about  it  by  next  mail. 
The  Judge  says,  Gov.  Tompkins  told  him  he  would  employ  you  as 
his  family  physician  during  his  stay  in  New  York,  after  your  re- 
moval there.  With  such  friends  you  cannot  fail  of  success.  With 
much  respect,  Yom*  Friend,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

Dr.  Spalding  being  unable  to  go  to  Boston,  Judge  Smith 
visited  him  at  Portsmouth,  where  Dr.  Spalding  said  to  him 
on  parting  "So  long  as  Fairfield  stands  by  me,  so  long  will 
I  stand  by  Fairfield. 

When  Judge  Smith  reached  Boston  he  found  an  important 
letter  from  Fairfield,  the  substance  of  which  Dr.  Shattuck 
sent  on  to  Portsmouth  in  these  words: 

"Boston,  July  31,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Hamilton  College  has 
elected  Mr.  Miller,^  President,  and  concluded  to  dispense  with  the 
thought  of  building  up  a  medical  school,  as  an  appendage  of  their 
University.  So  writes  Mr.  Ford  to  Judge  Smith.  My  friends  be- 
ing irreconcilable  to  my  absence  another  winter,  I  am  forced  to  a 
decision  to  resign  my  place  in  the  new  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons.  I  give  you  this  previous  notice  and  accompany  it  with 
a  tender  of  my  assistance  in  commending  a  candidate  for  supplying 
the  vacancy.  Do  you  not  beheve  Surgeon  General  Mann  ^  will  be 
most  useful?  Or  think  friend  Willoughby,  will  best  promote  the 
designs  of  the  Institution  as  Professor  of  the  Theory  and  Practice 
of  Physick? 

Write  me  immediately  on  this  subject  that  I  may  make  some 
suggestions  to  the  Trustees  on  sending  in  my  resignation.  Your 
Friend,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

Although  Dr.  Shattuck  had  resigned  from  the  Medical 
Department  of  Fairfield,  Dr.  Spalding  now  appealed  to  him 
to  accept  a  Chair  in  the  new  College,  independent  of  the 

1  Mr.  Samuel  Miller  (1769-1850)  later  Professor  in  the  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary,  may  have  been  elected  President  of  Hamilton, 
but  the  first  President  to  serve,  was  Rev.  Azel  Backus  (1764-1816)  a 
graduate  of  Yale,  an  excellent  teacher  and  a  man  of  delightful  wit. 
He  once  said  of  a  polemical  paper:  "I  taste  no  Attic  Salt  in  that; 
nothing  but  Shad  Brine." 

2  Dr.  James  Mann  (1752-1832)  declined  the  offer  on  account  of  his 
duties  as  Army  Surgeon.  He  practiced  earlier  than  this,  in  Boston, 
and  later  in  Dedham,  was  an  original  member  of  the  Staff  of  the  Mas- 
sachusetts General  Hospital,  and  author  of  an  excellent  work,  entitled 
"Medical  Experiences  in  the  War  of  1812-14." 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY     223 

Academy,  and  with  power  to  grant  degrees.  This  admirable 
letter  (kindly  loaned  by  Dr.  Frederick  C.  Shattuck)  adds 
color  to  the  portraiture  of  my  Grandfather. 

"Dear  Sir:  I  can  only  say  that  I  regret  exceedingly  the  opinion 
of  yourself  and  friends,  that  your  avocations  will  not  suffer  you  to 
visit  Fairfield  once  more.  I  acknowledge  that,  at  present,  the 
compensation  is  not  adequate  to  the  output  and  the  loss  of  busi- 
ness, but.  Sir,  I  do  really  beheve  that  this  School  may  be  made 
second  to  none  but  Philadelphia.  If  not,  I  will  join  with  you  in 
resignation.  What  effect  has  the  Professorship  aheady  had  on 
you?  It  has  compelled  you  to  pay  close  attention  to  your  pro- 
fession, to  pass  the  whole  of  CuUen's  "Nosology"  in  review,  be- 
fore you  annually,  and  thereby  qualifying  you  for  the  practice  of 
your  profession  more  than  any  other  way  in  which  you  could  have 
spent  your  time.  It  is  the  high  road  to  fame,  and  usefulness.  I 
know  that  my  sacrifices  have  been  great.  I  know  that  yours  must 
be.  But,  show  me  the  man  who  has  risen  to  be  a  Prince  of  Physi- 
cians, while  slumbering  on  the  couch  of  idleness. 

Soon  after  I  came  to  Portsmouth,  I  resigned  my  office  of  Pro- 
fessor of  Chemistry  in  Dartmouth,  no  doubt  from  the  same  motives 
that  now  influence  you,  with  this  addition,  that  my  lectures  there, 
had  to  continue  three  months.  I  soon  found  myself  slumbering 
on  my  oars  and  relaxing  my  pursuits.  In  fact,  so  far  from  im- 
proving, I  hardly  kept  pace  with  the  others.  A  kind  of  indifference 
for  science  pervaded  me:  indignant  I  aroused,  I  went  to  Hanover 
to  see  Ramsay,  I  went  to  Philadelphia,  and  I  planned  a  voyage 
to  Europe.  This  change,  Sir,  I  consider  the  most  happy  circum- 
stance in  my  whole  professional  career. 

Admit  that  you  resign  your  office.  Man  is  an  indolent  animal. 
What  inducement  have  you  then,  to  labor  incessantly?  None! 
Yowc  reputation  is  as  high  as  that  of  your  contemporaries.  Then, 
wrapped  in  the  lap  of  affluence  and  ease,  you  wiU  slumber  and  sleep 
till  old  age  creeps  upon  you,  when  you  will  find  yourself  outstripped 
in  the  race  of  usefulness  and  fame,  your  opinions  so  antiquated 
as  to  be  regarded  not,  and  yourself  a  mere  old  Granny. 

Look  at  the  Princes,  or  rather.  Fathers  of  Physic.  Who  have 
they  been  or  who  are  they  now?  So  far  as  my  memory  serves  me ; 
Teachers    of    Physic.    Booerhaave,^    Cullen,^    Desault.     Look  at 

1  Booerhaave  (1668-1738)  was  a  Dutchman  of  immense  learning;  a 
great  physician  and  writer. 

2  WiUiam  CuUen  (1710-1790)  acted  as  Ship's  Surgeon  and  practi- 
tioner in  London  long  before  obtaining  a  degree.  He  was  renowned  aa 
a  cUnical  lecturer  and  in  the  wards  of  the  Hospitals  discoursed  elo- 
quently on  the  common  types  of  disease.  His  last  years  were  em- 
bittered by  the  attacks  of  his  former  associate,  John  Brown  of  "Brimo- 


224  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Rush,  Warren  and  Smith.  What  has  put  them  at  the  head  of  the 
profession?  Nothing  but  their  being  compelled  to  labor,  and  an- 
nually to  review  their  profession,  and  incorporate  with  their  old 
stock  all  the  new  improvements.  Show  me  a  man  in  private  prac- 
tice who  does  this,  annually.  He  is  not  to  be  found.  But,  your 
friends  say  that  you  can  do  this,  yet  stay  at  home.  I  acknowledge 
this,  but  tell  me  honorably,  Will  you  do  it?  No,  Sir,  you  have  no 
inducement.  For  a  man  to  be  pre-eminently  great,  there  must  be 
a  great  occasion.  What  made  Washington  great?  Opportunity, 
You  are  now  on  the  same  high  road  to  reputation  that  every  Prince 
of  Physicians  has  travelled.  If  you  turn  aside,  you  are  lost  forever. 
These  in  conjunction  with  those  in  my  last  letter  are  the  reasons 
wliich  ought  to  inilueuce  j'ou.  You  can  have  no  doubt  of  my 
wishes  on  the  subject.  The  time  for  the  commencement  of  the 
lectures  is  so  near  at  hand,  that  no  successor  can  be  appointed  in 
season  for  the  next  course.  I  therefore  beseech  you,  on  my  ac- 
count, if  neither  honor  nor  fame  will  move  you,  to  deliver  This  One 
Course,  and  I  will  consent  to  any  arrangement  that  you  may  then 
choose  to  make.  If  notliing  farther,  as  a  mere  matter  of  policy, 
I  wish  you  to  withhold  your  resignation  till  the  meeting  of  the 
Trustees  of  the  New  Medical  College  and  let  us  see  what  they  will 
do  for  us. 

Dr.  Mann,  I  knew  had  been  appointed  a  Hospital  Surgeon,  but 
I  did  not  know  that  he  had  been  made  Surgeon  General.  He  must 
be  with  the  Army  by  this  time,  and  caimot  be  prepared  for  the 
ensuing  course.  I  have  no  objection  to  this  man,  but  must  for 
want  of  room  decline  saying  anything  about  your  successor  until  I 
hear  from  you  again.    Your  Friend,  Lyman  Spalding." 

To  Dr.  Spalding's  appeal  Dr.  Shattuck  replied  in  a  letter 
undated,  but  postmarked  August  11. 

"Sir:  Your  frankness  entitles  you  to  my  warmest  acknowledg- 
ments. The  letter,  I  have  exhibited  to  my  friends,  in  hopes  thereby 
to  procure  the  acquiescence  in  my  continuing  at  the  Fairfield  Col- 
lege. I  have  exhibited  additional  arguments  illustrating  the  pohcy 
of  such  a  course.  They  have  surveyed  the  advantages  of  my  con- 
tinuing, the  disadvantages  of  mj'-  withdrawing  at  this  moment,  and 
all,  mifortunately  for  my  professional  career  does  not  satisfy  them 
that  I  ought  to  prosecute  giving  lectures  at  Fairfield.  The  delicate 
health  of  Mrs.  Shattuck,  the  infirmities  of  age  under  which  her 
Mother  labors,  the  state  of  her  Uncle  Derby's  family,  he  being  more 
than  seventy  years  old,  and  having  been  all  that  a  kind  father 

nianism,"  but  THAT  is  dead  whilst  Cullcn's  fame  continues.  Cullen 
made  money,  left  his  money  drawer  open,  kept  no  accounts,  and  died 
penniless.    What  else  could  be  expected  from  such  loose  financingl 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    225 

could  have  been  to  my  wife,  are  considerations  too  trying  to  my 
sensibility  not  to  shake  my  resolutions  in  relation  to  retaining  my 
place  at  Fairfield.  The  ignominy  that  may  be  thrown  on  my  good 
name  I  must  trust  yourself  and  other  friends  to  wipe  off,  that  the 
Trustees  of  Fairfield  academy  may  not  feel  that  they  have  been 
injuriously  treated  by  me. 

Once  more,  I  call  your  attention  to  the  avowal  of  your  feelings 
in  relation  to  my  successor,  that  I  may  show  to  the  Trustees  that  I 
am  not  negligent  of  their  interests.     Your  Friend,  Geo.  C.  Shat- 

TUCK." 

The  newspapers  in  the  Summer  of  1812  printed  the  re- 
port that  Mr.  Alexander  had  been  chosen  President  of 
Hamilton  but  Judge  Smith  wrote  to  Dr.  Spalding  to  tell 
him  the  exact  state  of  affairs. 

"Fairfield,  10th  Aug.  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Mr.  Alexander  is  not 
President  of  Hamilton  College.  He  was  unanimously  chosen,  but 
dechned  this  merely  as  a  stipulation  to  save  his  reputation.  But 
the  thing  is  well  understood :  they,  however,  pay  him  the  price  of 
his  bad  faith  to  us.  Dr.  Noyes  has  gone  to  Utica  and  into  partner- 
ship with  another  physician.  All  idea  of  a  Medical  School  is  given 
up  at  Clinton.  Whether  Dr.  Noyes  would  come  here  again,  if  in- 
vited, I  carmot  say,  but  his  conduct  has  been  such,  and  his  stories 
so  variant,  that  I  conjecture,  nothing  but  necessity  would  induce 
the  Trustees  to  call  him  back.  I  made  inquiry  in  Connecticut  of 
Dr.  Tully.^  I  find  he  studied  with  Dr.  Smith  at  Hanover,  and  has 
since  been  with  Dr.  Silliman  attending  his  Chemical  Lectures. 
He  is  said  to  be  a  good  doctor,  and  well  educated  for  a  Professor. 
Perhaps  you  can  make  such  iuquiry  respecting  him,  as  would  be 
satisfactory  to  you;  whether  he  would  answer  the  purpose.  Four 
young  gentlemen  have  written  to  me  expressing  a  wish  to  come 
to  this  place  to  pursue  the  study  of  medicine  and  attend  lectures. 
I  presume  there  will  be  many  more.  Pray  let  me  hear  from  you 
soon.    In  haste,  Your  Ob'd't  N.  Smith." 

1  Dr.  William  Tully  (1785-1859)  was  licensed  to  practice  by  the 
Connecticut  Medical  Society  in  1810,  and  after  practicing  in  several 
villages  settled  in  Albany,  in  1826.  About  this  time  he  was  elected 
President  of  the  Castleton,  Vermont,  Medical  School,  and  later  on 
Professor  of  Botany  and  Materia  Medica  at  Yale.  He  had  an  offer 
of  a  Professorship  in  South  Carolina,  but  declining  it,  travelled  South 
in  search  of  medicinal  plants.  His  "Treatise  on  Materia  Medica"  had 
great  vogue,  as  did  his  Fever  Powders.  1  do  not  find  that  he  ever 
lectured  at  Fairfield,  but  his  name  is  often  mentioned  as  an  Orator  at 
Medical  Graduations.  A  recent  monograph  on  Dr.  Tully  by  Dr.  Kate 
Campbell  Mead  of  Middletown,  Connecticut,  throws  new  light  on  his 
life. 


226  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

When  it  was  finally  decided  that  Dr.  Shattuck  would  not 
lecture  again,  the  Trustees  looked  about  for  a  successor  and 
Dr.  Willoughby  offered  these  suggestions. 

"Herkimer  Co.  Sept.  10.  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Dr.  Shattuck's  resig- 
nation is  very  much  to  be  regretted.  One  misfortune  rolls  upon 
the  back  of  another.  The  little  mind,  only,  faints  at  misfortunes 
whilst  in  pursuit  of  a  good  object.  I  fully  agree  with  you.  Sir,  that 
it  is  the  professors  who  make  the  school.  Unless  they  are  com- 
petent, the  School  must  faU.  But,  if  there  is  a  good  choice  made, 
I  am  fuUy  persuaded  that  the  school  will  flourish,  notwithstanding 
the  misfortune  and  bustle  which  have  taken  place  (the  particulars 
you  must  have  learned  from  Judge  Smith). 

I  am  sorry  that  Dr.  Noyes  could  not  have  been  retained  as  Pro- 
fessor of  Chemistry.  The  Trustees  are  not  absolutely  certain  of 
any  one  in  particular,  but  are  calculating  upon  a  young  Gentleman 
from  Connecticut.  His  name  I  do  not  recollect.  He  has  been 
sohcited  and  is  daily  expected  in  Fairfield  in  Company  with  a  Mr. 
Hotchkiss  ^  who  is  calculated  upon  as  the  Successor  of  Mr.  Ale.x- 
ander.  If  he  should  Fail,  could  you  not  procure  or  recommend 
one  to  the  Trustees  in  whom  you  would  be  pleased?  They  would 
rely  much  on  your  judgment.  In  lieu  of  a  better,  Dr.  Hadley  ^ 
has  been  talked  of;  the  favorite  pupil  of  Dr.  Noyes,  he  is  said  to  be 
a  very  accurate  scholar  and  Good  Chemist.  Some  of  the  scholars 
who  have  attended  Noyes'  lectures  think  him  not  a  whit  behind 
Noyes  in  point  of  Chemical  knowledge. 

The  Trustees  have  not  as  yet  obtained  the  Charter  of  the  Col- 
lege. His  Excellency,  the  Gov.,  has  for  some  time  past  been  at 
New  York,  so  that  his  signature  could  not  be  obtained.  He  has, 
however,  returned  and  the  Charter  will  be  up  this  week.  So  says 
Judge  Smith.  The  Trustees  will  then  immediately  meet  and  issue 
their  circulars.  Private  Letters  and  News  Papers,  only  as  yet, 
have  promulgated  the  intended  course  of  Lectures.  Dr.  Sherwood 
informs  rae  that  there  has  already  arrived  10  or  12  Med.  Students; 
to  attend  the  lectures.  The  power  of  conferring  degrees  will  oper- 
ate as  a  pretty  powerful  inducement  to  many  of  the  young  gentle- 
men. 

1  have  written  to  New  York  for  an  obstetric  machine  and  some 
drawings,  if  they  can  be  obtained.    I  am  unwilling  to  attempt  an- 

•  Hotchkiss  is  probably  Hotchkin  a  leading  clergyman  in  Con- 
necticut who,  however,  failed  to  report. 

2  Dr.  James  Hadley  (1785-1869)  was  Grandfather  of  President 
Hadley  of  Yale,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth,  a  practitioner  at  Weare,  New 
Hampshire  and  later  on  at  Fairfield,  where  he  lectured  on  Chemistry 
until  the  school  fell  into  ruin,  when  he  continued  hia  labors  at  Castleton 
and  at  Hobart. 


LECTURER  ON  ANATOMY  AND  SURGERY    227 

other  Course  unless  I  am  prepared  to  make  them  useful.  It  is  ex- 
pected by  the  Trustees,  that  the  Lectures  will  commence  on  the 
2nd  Tuesday  of  November,  beginning  with  Chemistry  first;  and  if 
Dr.  Mann  should  conclude  to  lecture  on  the  Theory  and  Practice 
of  Physick,  (as  is  expected  at  this  time  by  some)  it  is  thought  best 
to  have  him  begin  with  the  Chemical  Professor. 

If  Dr.  Mann  should  not  attend,  your  advice  will  be  taken,  and 
no  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice  will  be  chosen  this  Fall,  and  in 
that  case  it  will  be  expected  of  the  other  professors  that  they  will 
make  their  lectures  as  practical  as  possible.  If  I  do  not  commence 
my  lectures  before  yours,  and  there  should  be  a  professor  of  the 
Theory  and  Practice,  to  commence  with  the  Chemical  Professor,  I 
think  I  shall  again  go  to  N.  Y.,  and  attend  their  lectures  4  or  5 
weeks.  If  you  have  anything  new  appertaining  to  the  branch 
which  I  am  to  teach,  will  you  be  so  good  as  to  communicate  it. 
With  Much  Esteem,  Sir,  Yours  etc,  W.  Willoughby,  Jr." 

A  month  later  Dr.  Spalding  heard  of  heavier  burdens  to 
bear;  this  time  from  Dr.  Sherwood. 

"Fairfield,  Oct.  12,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  this  morning  con- 
versed with  Judge  Smith  and  some  of  the  Trustees  on  the  subject 
of  the  commencement  of  your  lectures,  and  it  is  concluded  that  it  is 
best  to  have  them  begin  the  4th  Tuesday  in  November,  at  which 
time  we  shall  expect  your  arrival  here.  I  am  fearful  there  will  be 
no  lectures  given  on  Chemistry,  or  the  Theory  and  Practice  of 
Physick,  unless  you  will  consent  in  addition  to  your  other  lectures 
to  give  a  course  on  one  of  these  branches;  though  we  have  sent  a 
man  to  New  York  to  obtain  a  principal  of  the  Academy,  and  other 
Professors,  if  any  can  be  found  capable.  Dr.  Mann,  from  your 
recommendation  has  been  apphed  to,  to  give  Lectures  on  Theory 
and  Practice  of  Physick,  but  did  not  consent  as  he  some  expected 
to  be  wanted  in  Canada  at  the  time  of  the  lectures  in  Fairfield; 
though,  it  is  possible  he  may  be  yet  obtained.  With  Much  Re- 
spect, Jonathan  Sherwood." 

In  spite  of  the  dismal  outlook  at  Fairfield  and  the  chances 
that  the  entire  School  would  rest  upon  his  abilities  alone 
that  winter,  Dr.  Spalding  informed  Dr.  Shattuck  of  his  in- 
tention to  set  off  soon,  vdth  Mrs.  Spalding  and  had  from  him 
this  charming  reply. 

"Boston.  Undated.  Dear  Sir:  Your  last  letter  would  have 
been  sooner  rephed  to,  had  information  been  obtained  in  relation  to 
the  inclination  of  a  meritorious  young  physician  to  be  regarded  for 
the  Chair  of  Theory  and  Practice  at  Fairfield.  When  that  infor- 
mation is  received  I  will  write  his  name.     Corner  Cambridge  and 


228  LR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Staniford  Streets  is  our  location  where  Mrs.  Spalding's  arrival  and 
yours  "nill  be  greeted  with  a  hearty  Welcome.  The  Lord  prosper 
you.    Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

Inasmuch  as  Mrs.  Spalding  could  not  go  as  planned,  Dr. 
Spalding  wrote  to  that  effect  and  before  starting  was  greeted 
with  another  laconic  note  from  Dr.  Shattuck. 

"Boston,  Nov.  20,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Yours  was  duly  received; 
your  articles  shall  all  be  ready  for  you  at  my  house.  Your  name  is 
on  the  Albany  Mail  Stage.  Now,  as  I  want  much  conversation 
with  you,  and  as  a  Tavern  at  a  late  hour  of  the  night  is  a  cold  and 
dreary  place,  I  must  sohcit  the  favor  of  your  coming  direct  to  our 
house  on  Sunday  night  where  a  warm  fireside,  and  those  who  will 
be  glad  to  see  you,  will  greet  your  coming  with  a  hearty  welcome: 
Yours,  etc,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

The  third  course  of  lectures  was  successful  after  all. 
Fifty  scholars  attended,  Dr.  Willoughby  took  charge  of 
Obstetrics,  Dr.  Hadley  of  Chemistry  and  Dr.  Spalding  of 
all  the  rest:  Anatomy,  Surgery,  Theory  and  Practice,  Dis- 
sections and  Operations.  From  there  he  went  to  New 
York,  opened  an  office  in  February  1813,  at  175  Broadway, 
and  then  paid  a  visit  to  Dr.  Rush  in  Philadelphia. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Pbesident  of  the  College  op  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  the 
Western  District  of  New  York,  1813-1817. 

Dr.  Spalding  would  probably  have  moved  to  Boston  after 
his  visit  to  Philadelphia,  had  he  not  been  invited  to  Fair- 
field. Finding  that  the  School  seemed  a  permanency  owing 
to  its  new  Charter,  he  decided  to  settle  in  New  York,  because 
from  there  he  could  easily  keep  in  touch  with  Fairfield. 
He  had  also  been  promised  the  patronage  of  prominent 
citizens,  he  had  had  large  experience  as  a  physician  and 
surgeon,  anatomist  and  lecturer  and  probably  hoped  by 
the  magic  of  a  metropolitan  residence  to  become  famous 
in  medicine.  He  was  now  settled  in  New  York  but  wishing 
his  wife  to  assist  him  in  choosing  a  home,  he  asked  Dr. 
Shattuck  to  look  out  for  Mrs.  Spalding  on  her  journey  to 
New  York.     In  answer  Dr.  Shattuck  writes: 

"Boston,  March  25,  1813.  My  dear  Sir:  Mrs.  Shattuck  learns 
with  pleasure  your  kind  remembrances  and  requests  the  pleasure  of 
Mrs.  Spalding  tarrying  with  her  while  it  may  be  convenient  for  her 
to  remain  in  Boston  on  her  way  to  New  York.  You  will  be  kind 
enough  to  inform  me  when  Mrs.  Spalding  will  be  in  Boston,  and 
where  she  may  be  found  on  her  arrival. 

In  relation  to  the  N.  E.  Dispensatory  Author,  he  is  very  aged, 
and  reading  lectures  would  be  a  novel  employment  to  Mm.  He  is 
exceedingly  deaf.  Of  course,  conversation  with  htm  must  be  diffi- 
cult. If  a  natural  death  in  the  course  of  a  very  few  years  is  to 
await  the  institution,  a  Professor  whose  natural  death  may  be  ex- 
pected soon,  will  best  answer  the  purpose.  But,  if  you  desire  a 
man  whose  increasing  talents  would  shed  lustre  on  the  Institution, 
and  contribute  to  its  reputation  you  will  select  a  younger  man  of 
greater  talents,  and  of  more  popular  manners.    Not  that  Dr.  T.^ 

^  Dr.  Shattuck  does  not  name  "The  New  England  Dispensatory 
Author,"  but  he  was  Dr.  James  Thacher  (1754-1844)  who  had  acted 
as  surgeon  in  the  Revolutionary  Army.  During  his  services  he  marched 
on  foot  from  West  Point  to  Portland,  Maine,  and  thence  to  Yorkto^vn, 
Virginia.  He  was  at  one  time  in  charge  of  a  Hospital  with  500  patients 
to  whom  Washington  paid  a  visit.  Thacher's  "Military  Journal"  is  a 
work  of  art,  and  his  "American  Medical  Biography"  a  superb  and 

229 


230  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

is  not  an  able  man;  industry  has  rendered  him  respectable  in  the 
profession,  and  he  doubtless  would  readily  accept  such  offers,  as 
you  remarked  that  the  Trustees  would  tender  to  me. 

That  your  blind  man^  may  depart  seeing  and  sounding  the 
praises  of  Lyman  Spalding,  M.D.,  is  the  wish  of  Geo.  C.  Shat- 

TUCK." 

The  next  letter  after  that  written  by  Dr.  Shattuck  comes 
with  good  news  from  Judge  Smith  now  attending  the  Legis- 
lature. 

''Albany,  10th  April,  1813.  Dear  Sir:  The  appointments  for 
our  College  have  been  made  agreeablj''  to  the  list  given  in  your 
letter.  The  blank  for  President,  I  have  filled  up  in  my  own  way, 
with  the  name  of  Lyman  Spalding,  M.D.,  and  in  doing  so,  I  am 
sure  I  have  met  the  wishes  and  intentions  of  the  Trustees. 

Permit  me  now  to  solicit  your  exertion  to  procure  a  Principal 
for  our  Academy,  as  soon  as  possible.  It  is  important  that  the 
School  should  open  in  May  and  the  Principal  ought  to  be  there 
sometime  previous,  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements.  Dr. 
Sherwood  will  hand  you  this,  and  can  tell  you  everything  about 
the  situation  of  things  at  Fairfield.  By  him,  I  also  send  several 
letters  of  introduction  to  gentlemen  in  N.  Y.,  which  if  you  think 
it  worth  your  while,  you  can  deliver. 

The  Bill  relating  to  Trinity  Church  ^  has  passed  both  houses  of 
the  Legislature,  and  is  now  before  the  Council  of  Revision.  It  is 
expected  that  it  will  be  returned  with  objections,  if  so,  the  only 
hope  left  is  that  two  thirds  of  both  houses  may  agree  to  it,  notwith- 
standing the  objections  of  the  Council.  For  my  own  part  I  cannot 
discover  any  objection  to  the  Bill,  and  should  it  be  returned  in  that 
way,  I  flatter  myself  it  would  still  become  a  law  by  the  Consti- 
tutional Majority  of  both  Houses.  Col.  Troup  who  is  here  as  the 
agent  of  the  Church,  is  doing  all  in  favor  of  the  Bill  that  could  be 
done  by  an  individual,  and  myself  and  several  friends  are  offering 
him  all  the  assistance  in  our  power.  I  sincerely  hope  the  Bill  will 
pass,  because  I  tliink  it  Just.  I  am  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't.  Nathan 
Smith." 

unique  collection  of  the  lives  of  eminent  physicians.  His  "Dispen- 
satory" was  a  meritorious  work,  and  his  essay  "On  Demonologists " 
attracted  much  attention. 

Dr.  Shattuck  calls  him  "AGED,"  but  he  was  at  this  time  only  59, 
and  lived  to  be  90. 

^  "  Your  blind  man  "  suggests  that  Dr.  Spalding  had  been  operating 
for  cataract  in  New  York. 

*  The  Trinity  Bill  provided  that  $750  should  be  granted  to  Fair- 
field, annually,  on  condition  that  the  Principal  should  be  an  Episcopa- 
lian, and  that  four  Divmity  Students  should  have  free  tuition. 


COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SURGEONS    231 

When  Dr.  Sherwood  reached  home,  he  thus  informed  Dr. 
Spalding  that  the  conduct  of  the  School  was  to  fall  almost 
entirely  upon  his  shoulders  as  in  the  previous  winter. 

"Fairfield,  May  5,  1813.  Dear  Sir:  Immediately  after  my 
arrival  at  Fairfield,  I  called  on  Dr.  Willoughby,  and  made  him  ac- 
quainted with  what  I  had  done  as  to  the  printing  of  the  Circulars, 
and  of  your  consenting  to  give  a  course  of  lectures  on  the  Insti- 
tutes of  Medicine,  should  the  Trustees  nominate  you  to  fill  that 
oflfice.  He  immediately  called  a  Meeting  of  the  Trustees,  and  giv- 
ing six  days  previous  notice,  a  suflacient  number  assembled  on  this 
day,  being  the  day  appointed  to  form  a  Board  for  the  transaction 
of  business.  After  the  meeting  was  opened,  the  Ballots  were  taken 
for  the  nomination  of  a  Professor  of  the  INSTITUTES  OF  MEDI- 
CINE and  on  canvassing  the  VOTES  it  was  found  that  Lyman 
Spalding  was  unanimously  chosen.  The  Trustees  will  therefore, 
depend  on  you  as  a  Professor  of  Anatomy  and  Surgery,  and  Lec- 
turer on  the  Institutes  of  Medicine.  I  shall,  by  the  next  mail,  dis- 
tribute the  Circulars  to  all  parts  of  the  Country,  and  I  shaU  spare 
no  pains  to  give  general  Information,  and  do  all  in  my  power  to 
promote  the  best  interests  of  the  Institution.  We  are  much  pleased 
with  Mr.  Judd's  acceptance  as  Principal  of  the  Academy.^  It 
is  the  general  opinion  we  could  not  have  obtained  a  better  man. 
He  has  promised  to  return  with  his  family,  as  soon  as  he  can  settle 
his  business  in  Connecticut.  He  has  engaged  to  send  on  a  Young 
Man  to  take  charge  of  the  Academy  until  he  can  arrive,  himself.  I 
flatter  myseK  we  shall  have  a  great  many  students,  both  medical  and 
those  who  will  attend  the  Academy. 

You  have  undoubtedly  heard  of  the  taking  of  Little  York,  the 
Capital  of  Upper  Canada  by  our  troops.  On  the  27th  of  April 
last  Commodore  Chaimcy  2  attacked  the  town  by  water,  and  Gen. 
Pike  ^  landed  and  commenced  the  attack  in  the  rear.  The  action 
continued  from  sunrise  until  2  O'clock  p.m.  when  the  British  sur- 
rendered. A  great  number  of  MHitia  and  Indians  were  made 
prisoners.    Gen.  Sheaffe*  with  a  few  of  his  Regulars  made  their 

1  Bethel  Judd  (1776-1860)  the  new  Principal  was  Rector  of  St. 
James'  Parish,  New  London,  Connecticut,  at  this  time.  After  serving 
as  Principal  of  Fairfield  he  became  President  of  St.  John's  CoUege  and 
Rector  of  St.  Anne's  Parish  in  AnnapoUs,  Maryland.  Later  still  he 
preached  as  a  Missionary  in  the  South  and  was  stUl  living  in  Rochester, 
New  York  in  1860. 

^  Commodore  Isaac  Chauncy  had  a  long  and  successful  career  in 
the  Navy, 

^  Gen.  Zebulon  Pike  (1779-1813)  was  a  soldier  of  great  mihtary  re- 
nown, and  noted  as  a  Western  Explorer,  and  the  discoverer  of  Pike's  Peak. 

*  Gen.  Sir  Roger  Hale  Sheaffe  (1763-1851)  entered  the  British 
Army  in  1780,  and  rose  to  be  a  Major  General.    Although  defeated  at 


232  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

escape.  There  were  more  munitions  of  War  and  Indians,  goods, 
than  12  vessels  could  bring  away.  We  have  to  lament  the  death 
of  the  brave  Gen.  Pike,  who  with  200  of  his  men  and  50  of  the 
British  were  blown  up  by  the  explosion  of  powder  concealed  under- 
ground. We  had  between  2  and  3,000  men  in  action.  I  am  Yours 
Respectfully,  Jonathan  Sherwood." 

Although  Dr.  Spalding  had  agreed  to  lecture  on  Medicine 
he  was  still  looking  out  for  a  substitute  and  with  this  in  view 
wrote  to  Dr.  Joseph  Klapp  ^  who  replied  to  this  effect. 

"Philadelphia,  June  11,  .^813.  Dear  Su-:  Your  letter  would 
have  been  sooner  answered  had  I  not  been  prevented  by  the  occur- 
rence of  a  severe  indisposition,  from  which  I  am  just  now  recover- 
ing. For  some  months  past,  cases  of  fever  assuming  various  types 
from  the  simple  intermittent  to  a  continuent,  of  the  most  danger- 
ous kind  have  been  unusually  prevalent  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia, 
and  in  South  Wark.  During  the  last  two  or  three  months  I  have 
had  as  much  as  a  hundred  persons  under  my  care  with  different 
denominations  of  fever. 

The  prominent  symptoms  are  a  violent  chiU,  in  general  of  some 
hours  continuance,  followed  by  great  arterial  excitement,  pain  in 
the  head,  back,  extremities,  and  sides,  mostly  in  the  right  side. 
In  about  forty  eight  hours,  the  febrile  commotion  begins  to  subside, 
and  in  a  short  time  is  succeeded  by  a  prostrated  or  sunk  state  of  the 
whole  system. 

Your  information  of  the  Oeconomy  of  the  Trustees  of  your  Col- 
lege did  not  surprise  me.  They  have  acted  from  what  they  con- 
ceive to  be  correct  motives,  and  no  doubt  think  it  most  politic  to 
be  very  moderate  in  the  use  of  their  funds.  They  may  yet  meet 
with  a  suitable  character  for  the  situation,  who  may  find  it  con- 
venient to  afford  his  services  on  more  moderate  terms.  At  any 
rate,  as  respects  myself,  I  must  say  that  my  professional  engage- 
ments are  such,  that  anything  less  than  a  thousand  dollars,  inde- 
pendent of  travelling  expenses,  will  be  regarded  as  an  inadequate 
consideration.    Your  Friend,  etc,  Joseph  Klapp," 

Midsummer  brought  later  news  from  Fairfield  in  the  shape 
of  letters  from  Dr.  Hadley  and  Dr.  Sherwood.  Dr.  Hadley's 
letter  shows  the  lack  of  ready  money. 

Little  York  (now  Toronto)  his  gallantry  before  an  overwhelming  force 
procured  for  him  a  Baronetcy. 

^  Dr.  Klapp  was  graduated  at  Philadelphia  in  1805,  presenting  a 
Thesis,  with  the  odd  title:  "On  the  Non-existence  of  an  aeriform 
function  of  the  skin."  He  wrote  voluminously  on  medical  topics,  and 
delivered  an  oration  "On  the  Modus  Operandi  of  Cold"  before  the 
Philadelphia  County  Medical  Society. 


COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SURGEONS    233 

"FairJ&eld,  July  18,  1813.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  received  your 
papers  by  Mr.  Judd,  together  with  the  Platinum  and  Thermometer- 
stem,  for  which  the  money  shall  be  forwarded  as  soon  as  an 
opportunity  may  offer.  The  mercurial  apparatus  cannot  be  dis- 
pensed with.  You  will  do  well  to  purchase  the  mercury,  and  if 
the  money  can  be  procured,  it  shall  be  sent  on.  There  is  some 
probabUity  that  I  shall  be  able  to  obtain  the  money,  either  from 
the  College  or  from  my  own  resources;  buy  fifty  pounds.  One 
roll  of  tinfoil  will  be  sufficient,  which  in  time  of  peace  and  plenty 
would  have  cost  6  or  8  shilhngs.  I  am  now  engaged  in  making  re- 
pairs in  the  College  building;  the  old  chimney  is  already  removed 
and  the  workmen  are  to  begin  the  new  one  to  morrow.  The  skylight 
is  to  be  finished  in  the  month  of  August.  Every  other  repair  shall 
be  made  and  in  due  time.  No  means  are  neglected  to  get  the  ad- 
vertisement inserted,  according  to  your  directions.  Yours,  etc, 
J.  Hadley." 

Dr.  Sherwood  now  tells  us  farther  news  concerning  the 
College,  and  introduces  our  old  friend  Dr.  Ricketson. 

"Fairfield,  8  Sept.  1813.  Dear  Sir:  After  considerable  exertion 
we  succeeded  yesterday  afternoon  in  getting  a  sufficient  number  of 
the  Trustees  together  to  form  a  Board  and  the  result  of  the  meeting 
was :  That  the  Trustees  of  the  College  purchase  from  the  Trustees 
of  the  Academy  for  $4,500  the  Laboratory,  Museum,  and  Chemical 
Apparatus;  buy  half  of  the  New  Stone  building  and  ground  on 
which  it  stands  and  pay  half  of  the  rental  to  the  stockholders;  and 
that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  confer  with  Dr.  Shadrack  Ricket- 
son  on  the  subject  of  his  taking  a  Professorship  in  the  College. 

The  day  preceding  the  meeting  Dr.  Ricketson  came  to  my  house, 
and  attended  the  meeting.  I  told  him  that  nothing  could  be  done 
as  to  his  giving  lectures  that  winter,  as  previous  arrangements  had 
been  entered  into  with  you,  and  that  you  were  making  calculations 
to  give  lectures  on  the  Theory  and  Practice  of  Physick  at  the  next 
term.  Next  day,  when  the  Trustees  came  to  see  and  converse 
with  Dr.  Ricketson,  I  found  that  there  seemed  to  be  an  opinion 
among  them,  that  he  would  do  to  fill  the  vacancy,  though  no  one 
suggested  the  least  idea,  that  it  would  do  to  give  him  the  least 
encouragement  of  giving  lectures  at  the  ensuing  Term.  Neither 
did  he  wish  or  expect  it  himself,  since  you  were  already  elected. 
But,  the  question  was  asked  by  one  of  the  committee  appointed  to 
confer  with  Dr.  R.,  whether  or  not  it  would  suit  you  to  have  Dr. 
Ricketson  come  in  as  Joint  Professor  in  lecturing  on  the  Institutes 
of  Medicine,  next  winter,  as  it  was  supposed  that  you  would  wish 
to  return  to  New  York  as  soon  as  possible.  I  was  directed  to  simply 
mention  the  thing  to  you  by  letter  but,  at  the  same  time,  no  one 
had  the  least  wish  to  have  you  enter  into  any  such  engagement 


234  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

unless  it  would  suit  you  better  than  it  would  to  give  the  whole 
course,  as  the  Trustees  are  perfectly  satisfied  mth  your  election, 
to  that  oflBce.  Neither  do  they  think  of  electing  Dr.  Ricketson,  or 
any  one  else,  to  give  lectures  another  year,  without  consulting  you 
and  getting  your  Opinion  on  the  Subject.  They  would  therefore 
hke  to  know  your  opinion  as  to  Dr.  Ricketson.  For,  if  he  would 
do,  he  might  be  elected  so  as  to  give  lectures  after  the  next  term. 
As  you  have  some  acquaintance  with  him,  the  Trustees  will  expect 
your  opinion  on  the  subject,  before  they  give  him  any  encourage- 
ment whatsoever. 

Dr.  Willoughby  tells  me  you  are  wanting  the  use  of  some  Books 
during  your  stay  in  Fairfield.  I  have  Cullen,  Darwin,  Townsend, 
Thomas,  and  Rush,  together  with  a  number  of  periodicals,  and 
other  books.  But,  I  have  three  students  that  will  attend  the 
Lectures  and  will  want  the  use  of  my  books,  but  you  shall  have  the 
use  of  them  all  the  time  they  can  possibly  spare  them.  How  much 
of  the  time  they  can  spare  them,  I  cannot  tell,  but  I  suppose  they 
•^•iU  want  them  a  considerable  part  of  the  time.  I  will,  however, 
accommodate  you  as  far  as  possible.  Yours  Respectfully,  Jona- 
than Sherwood." 

After  all  these  preliminaries  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons  of  the  Western  District  of  New  York  was 
formally  inaugurated  December  13,  1813,  with  an  address  in 
Latin,  a  Ball  and  Banquet,  and  an  Address  by  the  Presi- 
dent, Dr.  Spalding;  the  theme  of  his  remarks  being  that 
industry  would  carry  every  man  far,  and  that  new  Medical 
Schools  would  discourage  quackery. 

The  winter  term  went  off  well,  fifty  two  students  attended, 
and  by  January  20,  1814,  Dr.  Spalding  was  in  Portsmouth 
preparing  to  take  his  family  to  New  York.  From  there, 
they  made  their  way  overland  to  Cornish,  where  finding  his 
father  very  low,  Dr.  Spalding  left  his  family  and  set  off  for 
New  York  alone.  Col.  Spalding  died  on  the  27th  of  April, 
and  Mrs.  Spalding  and  the  childi'en  reached  their  new  home 
on  the  4th  of  May. 

I  find  but  few  letters  in  this  year  that  throw  light  on  Fair- 
field personages,  but  one  from  Judge  Smith  concerning 
Robert  Fulton  is  worth  inserting.  It  is  pleasant  to  know 
that  Robert  Fulton  and  my  Grandfather  were  introduced  to 
the  New  York  Historical  Society  at  the  same  meeting. 

"Fairfield,  Aug.  24,  1814.  Dear  Sir:  In  my  last  letter  I  men- 
tioned to  you  that  I  intended  going  to  West  Florida  the  ensuing 
Fall.     My  present  calculation  is  to  go  from  here  to  Pittsburgh, 


COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SURGEONS    235 

and  thence  down  the  river  by  water,  and  as  I  understand  there  are 
Steam  Boats  already  in  operation  to  run  regularly  from  Pittsburgh 
down,  I  wish  to  get  a  passage  on  one  of  them.  Having  been  told 
that  Mr.  Fulton  is  a  principal  proprietor  in  these  Boats,  and  pre- 
suming he  may  be  able  to  say  nearly  at  what  time  they  will  leave 
Pittsburgh,  this  Fall,  I  take  the  hberty  to  ask  the  favor  of  you  to 
ascertain  from  him  this  fact,  and  to  write  me  as  soon  as  convenient. 
Your  compliance  will  much  obhge  your  friend,  N.  Smith." 

An  unexpected  letter  at  this  juncture  from  Dr.  Alpheus 
Greene  (1787-1851)  for  many  years  a  physician  at  Water- 
town,  New  York,  throws  welcome  light  on  Dr.  Spalding's 
character. 

"Brownsville,  Near  Sackett's  harbor.  New  York.  Oct.  3,  1814. 
My  Worthy  Friend:  In  consequence  of  my  absence  from  Newport 
when  your  favor  arrived,  I  did  not  receive  it  tiU  long  after.  I 
therefore  hope  you  will  not  charge  me  with  neglect  for  not  giving 
you  an  earlier  reply.  It  was  very  unfortunate  for  me  that  I  did  not 
receive  your  letter  sooner,  as  it  might  have  influenced  my  arrange- 
ments very  materially,  and  perhaps  favorably.  On  the  death  of 
my  Father  which  happened  in  April,  I  found  my  pecuniary  circum- 
stances such  as  to  deter  me  from  prosecuting  my  studies  any  farther. 
I  found  myseh  under  the  absolute  necessity  of  taking  immediate 
and  effectual  measures  for  improving  my  exhausted  finances.  I 
accordingly  took  license,  and  entered  on  the  practice  of  medicine, 
and  have  pursued  it  since  the  first  of  June,  but  the  avails  of  my 
business  are  trifling  indeed,  so  that  my  circumstances  are  very 
httle  improved. 

I  feel  myself  under  infinite  obligations  to  you  for  the  generous 
proposals  you  have  so  often  made  me  and  regret  sincerely  my  in- 
abihty  to  accept  them.  I  can  duly  appreciate  the  important  ad- 
vantages to  have  been  derived  from  the  situation  of  an  assistant, 
in  which  your  goodness  would  place  me,  but  am  unable  to  surmount 
the  obstacles  which  prevent  my  turning  those  advantages  to  my 
own  account.  I  feel  a  real  pride  in  acknowledging  your  kind  at- 
tention to  me,  and  the  favorable  manner  in  which  you  were  pleased 
to  notice  me  while  under  your  tuition. 

The  sohcitude  you  manifested  for  my  future  welfare  and  the  wel- 
fare of  the  class,  generally,  made  a  lasting  impression  on  my  mind. 
It  will  ever  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance,  while  gratitude  is 
considered  a  virtue  and  its  opposite,  a  vice  of  the  deepest  dye. 

With  sentiments  of  the  highest  consideration,  etc,  Alpheus 
Greene." 

Just  before  the  winter  term  began  Dr.  Willoughby  showed 
cause  for  his  non-attendance  and  made  suggestions  for 
carrying  the  lectures  along  in  regular  order. 


236  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Trenton,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  9,  1814.  My  dear  Sir:  I  am  now  on  my 
way  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  with  my  Regiment.  I  wrote  you  in 
much  haste  from  Herkimer,  stating  the  necessity  of  my  absence, 
and  the  uncertainty  of  my  returning  by  the  first  of  next  month  to 
resume  my  lectures:  requesting  you  if  possible  to  be  on  hand  and 
commence  your  lectures  on  Theory  and  Practice,  gi\dng  me  an  op- 
portunity' of  meeting  the  Obstetrical  Class  after  the  close  of  your 
lectures.  You  will  recollect,  there  is  no  ordinance  regulating  a 
preference  of  time  to  either  Professor.  This  is  left  altogether  to  be 
agreed  upon  by  the  Professors  themselves.  I  regret  that  there 
should  be  a  necessity  of  changing  the  time,  but  this,  I  fear,  is  un- 
avoidable. It  is  the  opinion  of  the  Commanding  Officer,  that  we 
shall  not  return  before  the  Fall  Campaign  closes.  If  so,  I  shall 
not  be  able  to  see  Fairfield  before  the  last  of  November.  The 
prospect  of  a  good  class  should  stimulate  the  Professors  to  every- 
thing in  their  power  to  meet  the  expectations  of  the  Scholars. 
There  are  several  who  are  calculating  to  be  prepared  to  receive  a 
Doctorate  in  Medicine.  Should  my  course  ultimately  fail,  they 
will  be  disappointed,  as  in  that  case  they  could  not  comply  with 
the  requirements  of  the  CoUege.  I  presume,  Sir,  you  will  without 
hesitation  endeavor  to  meet  my  wishes  by  being  at  Faii-field  at  the 
conamencement  of  the  Lectures.  I  had  completed  my  arrange- 
ments so  as  to  have  spent  the  winter  at  Philadelphia,  and  shall  not 
fail  of  going  if  I  can  return  from  the  lines  in  season  to  give  my 
lectures  as  usual. 

The  Officers  of  the  Regiment  are  among  my  friends;  they  have 
confidence  in  me  as  a  medical  man,  and  will  not  receive  a  sub- 
stitute. I  have  endeavored  to  make  arrangements  in  that  way, 
but  it  Is  in  vain.  There  is  no  alternative  but  follow  the  Regiment. 
Be  so  good  as  to  let  me  know  your  pleasure,  and  direct  your  letter 
to  Brownsville,  where  we  shall  be  stationed.  I  think  your  tour 
would  be  more  agreable  to  come  on  early,  as  the  traveling  will  be 
much  better,  and  my  being  on  the  lines  may  be  a  convenient  thing 
as  it  respects  subjects.     In  haste.  Yours  Respectfully,  W.  Wil- 

LOUGHBY,  JUN." 

The  last  sentence  in  this  letter  suggests  that  Dr.  Spalding 
was  planning  to  visit  the  Army  with  a  view  of  obtaining  dis- 
section material.  Whether  he  went  or  not  I  have  never 
discovered. 

The  winter  course  of  1814-15  was  attended  by  sixty 
students,  three  of  whom  obtained  a  degree,  the  first  time  in 
the  history  of  the  School  in  which  this  had  occurred. 
Amongst  the  operations  performed  by  Dr.  Spalding,  I  find 
one  mentioned  in  a  letter  from  Dr.  Calvin  Smith  (1778- 
1839)  a  physician  of  high  standing  at  Little  Falls. 


COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SURGEONS    237 

"Little  Falls,  Dec.  8,  1814.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  a  soldier  under 
my  care  in  this  Village  who  received  a  wound  in  the  thigh  at  Fort 
Erie,  which  has  been  ill  attended  to  and  became  so  bad  that  he  was 
obliged  to  be  left  in  this  place.  I  find  the  limb  must  be  amputated 
immediately  to  save  the  man's  life.  He  is  anxious  that  it  should 
be  done  to-day  if  possible.  If  you  can  possibly  make  it  con- 
venient to  come  down  tomorrow  and  perform  the  operation,  he 
would  be  extremely  glad.  The  U.  S.,  will  compensate  you  for  your 
services.  If  it  will  be  possible  for  you  to  come,  if  you  can  send  me 
word  what  time  you  can  be  here,  you  will  confer  a  favor  on,  Your 
Ob'd't  Serv't.  Calvin  Smith." 

Dr.  Spalding  returned  to  New  York  soon  after  attending 
to  this  case  and  practiced  steadily  there  until  it  was  time 
for  another  term  at  Fairfield  in  the  autumn  of  1815.  The 
only  material  at  hand  concerning  affairs  at  Fairfield  during 
all  this  time  is  a  letter  written  by  Dr.  Spalding  to  his  wife 
in  January,  1816. 

"Dear  Wife:  I  wrote  you  last  week  but  the  gentleman  who 
promised  to  carry  it  to  you  did  not  call  for  it.  I  had  also  written 
for  the  same  conveyance  letters  to  each  of  our  daughters.  If  no 
private  hand  offers  I  shall  bring  them  myself.  I  was  much  de- 
lighted to  hear  that  you  were  so  well  and  that  the  repau-s  had  been 
made  to  the  house.  I  have  written  you  three  times  by  private 
hand,  but  this  is  the  first  letter  by  mail.  By  Samuel  Smith  I  sent 
butter  and  cheese  and  by  Dr.  Willoughby  some  money.  If  you 
need  more  before  I  return,  call  on  Mr.  Brackett.  I  wish  you  to 
call  the  attention  of  the  children  to  their  lessons,  and  this,  every 
day,  or  they  will  forget  them.  During  the  long  afternoons  and 
evenings  I  think  they  ought  to  work:  knit,  or  make  collars  and 
wristbands  for  cotton  shirts  or  cotton  shirts  themselves,  which  may 
as  well  be  bought  now,  as  next  summer. 

Last  Sunday  I  went  to  Hasenclever  Hill  and  amputated  a  man's 
thigh  with  a  shoe  knife  and  joiner's  saw.  I  also  took  out  the  whole 
of  the  shin  bone  of  a  girl  nine  years  old,  and  operated  for  hydrocele : 
all  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  patients,  the  students  and  myself.  A 
pretty  good  day's  work. 

On  the  top  of  the  Hill  where  I  amputated,  I  found  a  family  by 
the  name  of  Page  who  once  lived  within  half  a  mile  of  my  Father's 
in  Cornish.  I  was  glad  to  see  them  as  I  had  not  seen  them  for 
twenty  years. , 

I  have  just  completed  my  course  on  the  Institutes  and  Practice 
of  Medicine,  and  I  believe  to  the  perfect  satisfaction  of  every 
student  who  has  done  me  the  honor  to  attend:  certainly,  much  to 
my   satisfaction. 

To  morrow  I  begin  on  Anatomy  and  Surgery  and  expect  to  close 


238  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

on  Thursday  the  2Sth,  going  to  Little  Falls  that  night  and  taking 
Friday  morning's  stage  for  Albany.  I  shall  be  in  N.  Y.,  as  soon 
as  the  stage  can  carry  me,  which  you  know  will  depend  on  the 
roads. 

I  have  been  treated  with  unusual  politeness;  with  the  single 
exception  of  what  arose  from  the  conduct  of  the  gentleman  who 
wants  to  be  President,  I  have  never  passed  a  session  so  pleasantly. 

I  shall  soon  be  with  you,  I  hope,  to  part  no  more. 

Write  to  me  under  cover  to  Jedediah  Rogers,  Albany.^  Exercise 
on  horseback,  and  milk  diet  have  improved  my  health  very  much. 

Do  not  forget  my  love  to  the  children.  If  they  study  well  we 
will  soon  begin  French.  If  Lyman  studies  well  at  home  and  in 
school  I  will  bring  him  a  new  pen  knife.    Yours,  etc.,  L.  S." 

Dr.  Spalding  now  resigned  the  Professorship  of  Theory 
and  Practice  and  was  thinking  of  resigning  the  Presidency 
also,  owing  to  the  intrigues  of  Dr.  White  of  Albany,  who 
complained  that  the  performance  of  operations  interfered 
with  his  Territorial  Rights.  He  had  already  won  over  two 
of  the  Trustees  and  had  hopes  to  be  chosen  President  if  Dr. 
Spalding  could  be  forced  to  resign.  How  much  these  in- 
trigues had  to  do  with  the  inability  of  the  Trustees  to  pay 
the  President's  Salary  is  difficult  to  decide. 

Soon  after  reaching  home  in  1816,  he  received  this  delight- 
ful letter  from  Dr.  Willoughby,  which  although  hardly 
germane  to  Fairfield  affairs  deserves  insertion  as  illustrating 
the  politics  of  the  day. 

"Washington,  January  27,  1816.  Dear  Sir:  I  was  pleased  to 
learn  that  you  left  the  Med.  Sch.,  at  Fairfield  well  pleased.  I  was 
fearful  you  might  be  troubled  to  procure  subjects,  but  rejoice  that 
not  anything  happened  to  disturb  your  wishes  or  the  expectations  of 
the  Scholars.  I  have  not  heard  anything  directly  from  Fairfield 
since  I  left  there,  except  what  you  write  me.  But  I  have  received 
a  letter  from  Dr.  Sherwood,  of  Newport  wherein  he  mentions  that 
the  Small  Pox  had  broken  out  at  F,  among  the  Scholars,  in  conse- 
quence of  a  subject  which  had  been  procured  and  of  which  disease 
they  supposed  he  had  died. 

I  am  pleased  to  hear  that  your  good  wife  has  passed  safely 
through  the  perilous  hour  of  Child  bed,  and  that  she  is  recovering 
therefrom;  may  the  promising  son  live  to  become  a  Parent's  bless- 
ing, and  compensate  abundantly  for  all  anxiety  and  distress. ^ 

'  Jedediah  Rogers  was  Captain  of  a  Packet,  on  the  Hudson  River, 
and  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Sally  Rogers  who  kept  the  boarding  house  in 
New  York  in  which  Dr.  Spalding  first  opened  an  office. 

*  The  son  bom  at  this  time  was  Edward  Jenner  Spalding. 


COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SURGEONS    239 

I  am  heartily  sick  of  my  new  life,  as  we  are  doing  little  else  than 
wasting  our  time  in  fruitless  and  unnecessary  debate.  We  have 
Members  in  abundance  who  believe  that  they  are  to  be  credited,  in 
proportion  to  the  noise  they  make,  and  not  in  proportion  to  the 
good  sense  offered.  Mr.  Randolph  has  occupied  the  floors  more 
than  3/4  of  the  time  for  this  two  weeks  and  I  deny  that  any  one 
could  possibly  divine  from  his  observations,  the  subject  before  the 
Committee  for  discussion.  He  is  against  the  Army,  the  Navy,  the 
Bank,  the  Manufactories,  Taxation,  etc.,  and  it  matters  not  what 
is  before  the  House  for  consideration,  he  speaks  of  the  rise  and  fall 
of  Political  parties,  of  ancient  and  modern  History,  of  Profane  and 
Divine.  In  short  he  abuses  everything  and  everybody;  Himself 
and  his  Beloved  Virginia,  excepted.  If  he  is  to  be  credited,  he  is 
the  only  wise  and  good  man  in  the  Nation.  Everything  went  well 
while  he  dictated,  but  since  the  Government  has  omitted  his 
Council,  and  advice,  they  have  wandered  from  their  true  happiness, 
and  been  wilfully  blind  to  their  best  interests.  I  have  no  doubt  he 
is  politically  insane,  and  am  certain  that  a  Mad  House  rather  than 
a  Congress  Hall  should  have  received  him.  There  is  so  much  local 
prejudice  and  so  many  selfish  views  to  be  answered  that  I  am  fear- 
ful we  shall  waste  away  the  Session  to  very  little  purpose.  But,  it 
may  be,  that  my  fears  are  groundless-  I  pray  God  they  may  be,  but 
if  I  am  to  judge  of  the  future,  from  the  past,  we  shall  not  deserve 
well  of  our  Constituents.    Your  friend,  W.  Willoughby  Jr." 

The  few  papers  which  remain  to  throw  light  on  the  state 
of  affairs  at  Fairfield  show  steady  friction  between  the  two 
Trustees  who  favored  Dr.  White  for  the  Presidency  and 
those  who  clung  to  Dr.  Spalding.  None  of  them,  however, 
had  any  money  for  this  last  year's  salary.  It  is  true  that 
Dr.  Spalding  had  expressed  satisfaction  with  the  last  course, 
but  he  did  not  know  at  the  time  of  writing,  that  the  Trustees 
would  not  be  ready  with  his  salary  when  he  left  for  home. 

Dr.  Willoughby' s  letter  of  August  helps  us  a  Uttle  amidst 
this  uncertainty. 

"Fairfield,  August  4,  1816.  To  Dr.  Spalding.  Dear  Sir:  Dr. 
Hadley  has  this  evening  showed  me  your  letter  to  him  in  which  you 
solicit  the  balance  of  your  acct,  and  your  not  having  received  it 
given  why  we  have  been  kept  in  a  state  of  suspense  relative  to  your 
resignation.  The  balance  due  you  will  be  forwarded  to  you 
whenever  you  present  your  acct,  for  payment.  Mr.  Ford  says  he 
has  never  received  any  order  for  the  payment  of  money,  except 
the  $200  which  I  paid  you.  You  have  repeatedly  had  my  senti- 
ments relative  to  your  leaving  the  College,  and  it  is  unnecessary 
for  me  to  repeat  them.    If  you  cannot  consistently  with  your  in- 


240  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

terests  remain,  we  have  no  wish  that  you  should  sacrifice  too  much 
to  obhge  us.  But,  one  thing  is  absolutely  necessary;  that  you 
keep  us  no  longer  in  this  state  of  imcertainty;  you  will,  certainly 
have  the  goodness,  either  to  forward  your  resignation,  or  a  promise 
of  your  services  this  Fall.  It  is  incorrect  that  we  have  a  Pro- 
fessor to  fill  your  Chair.  Dr.  Wliite  is  only  proposed  in  case  of 
your  resignation.    Yours,  etc,  W.  Willoughby,  Jun." 

Directly  afterward,  Judge  Smith  came  to  New  York, 
promised  to  send  the  money  that  was  due,  and  Dr.  Spalding 
agreed  to  lecture  again.  But  as  no  money  was  forthcoming 
in  November  he  once  more  appUed  for  it  and  received  word 
that  there  was  none  to  be  procured  owing  to  the  hard  times. 

At  this  juncture  Dr.  Alexander  Ramsay  was  lecturing  in 
New  York,  and  Dr.  Spalding  having  several  difficult  cases 
on  hand,  sent  him  to  Fairfield  as  a  substitute  and  took 
Ramsay's  lectures  upon  himself.  Dr.  Ramsay  began  well, 
wrote  enthusiastically  of  his  good  fortune,  and  yet  inside  of  a 
week  later,  he  in  some  way  so  aroused  the  animosity  of  the 
entire  village  that  he  was  forced  to  leave,  unpaid.  To  add 
to  the  difficulty  the  disaffected  Trustees  complained  in  writing 
that  Dr.  Spalding  had  treated  the  School  unfairly  in  sending 
such  a  substitute.  Thereupon  in  his  own  defence  he  felt  com- 
pelled to  forward  the  following  letter,  to  Dr.  Hadley  — 

"Dear  Sir:  I  am  much  mortified  to  think  that  any  Trustee 
should  have  suspected  my  motives  in  sending  Dr.  Ramsay.  His 
reputation  as  a  Lecturer  stood  higher  than  that  of  any  other  man 
in  America.  Most  of  the  physicians  of  this  country  who  had  been 
in  Europe  had  attended  liim  at  Edinburgh.  All  spoke  of  him  in 
the  highest  terms  as  an  Anatomist.  They  knew  nothing  of  his 
private  character.  He  taught  in  Columbia  in  1804,  in  Dartmouth 
in  1808,  and  negotiations  were  on  foot  between  the  N.  Y.  Medi- 
cal College  and  Dr.  Ramsay  to  lecture  for  Dr.  Post,^  but  they 
could  not  agree  on  terms.  Dr.  Bruce  ^  next  took  him  up,  and  gave 
him  a  class  of  more  than  20.  In  this  situation  I  engaged  him  to 
take  my  place.  I  knew  that  he  was  "Waspish,"  but  that  he  could 
conduct  himself  in  the  manner  in  which  you  relate,  required  greater 

'  Dr.  Wright  Post  (17G6-1828)  lectured  on  Anatomy  and  was  Professor 
of  Surgery  at  Columbia.  He  became  noted  for  ligating  the  Subclavian, 
and  was  the  first  to  ligate,  successfully,  the  Common  Carotid. 

2  Dr.  Arcliibald  Bruce  (1777-1818)  established,  with  others,  in  New 
York,  a  Private  Institution  for  Medical  Instruction.  He  later  became 
Profes-sor  of  Materia  Medica  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  at  Rutgers. 
Ho  was  a  particular  friend  of  Dr.  Spalding  and  nominated  liim  as 
Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  New  York  Historical  Society. 


COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SURGEONS    241 

talent  than  I  possess  to  presuppose.  He  had,  to  be  sure,  recently 
delivered  lectures  on  Natural  History,  which  did  him  but  little 
credit;  something  like  his  talks  to  you  on  Sunday  Schools,  but  I 
supposed  I  was  rendering  the  College  a  service  by  sending  so  wonder- 
ful a  substitute.  As  to  the  "  Advantages  "  to  myself,  you  can  judge, 
when  I  say  that  my  agreement  with  him  was  to  pay  bis  expenses 
out  and  back  to  Fairfield,  to  take  his  Class  into  my  own  house,  to 
find  furnished  rooms  for  dissection  for  three  months  and  to  lecture 
to  his  students,  daily  during  his  absence.  We  did  not  dissect  one 
or  two  subjects,  but  FOURTEEN.  Now  I  ask  you,  or  Willoughby, 
or  anybody  else  in  your  village,  vv^hat  would  you  ask  for  one  half  of 
your  dwelling  house  to  become  an  Anatomical  Theater  for  three 
months,  with  14  subjects  to  dissect  and  20  students  running  in  and 
out.  I  should  have  made  nothing  by  that  arrangement,  even  had 
every  farthing  been  paid.  But,  long  before  Dr.  Ramsay  returned 
I  found  the  vexation  of  teaching  pubHcly,  in  my  own  house,  so 
great,  that  I  repented  of  my  bargain,  and  when  I  found  that  in- 
stead of  doing  you  a  service,  he  had  failed  to  give  any  satisfaction,  I 
wished  most  heartily  that  I  had  never  sent  him  at  all.  Your  Ob'd't 
Serv't,  LyI'IAn  Spalding." 

After  Dr.  Ramsay  left  Fairfield,  the  two  opposing  trustees 
petitioned  the  Regents  to  ask  for  the  resignation  of  Dr. 
Spalding,  which  he  declined  to  offer  until  he  had  been  paid. 
He  finally  caused  a  Memorial  of  the  state  of  affairs  to  be 
read  at  a  meeting  of  the  Regents  in  October,  1817;  his 
resignation  was  then  handed  in  and  accepted  by  an  unani- 
mous vote  of  the  Regents  and  all  mention  of  the  affair  was 
ordered  to  be  erased  from  their  records. 

With  this  step  his  legal  connection  with  Fairfield  ceased, 
but  he  remained  on  good  terms  with  the  majority  of  the 
Trustees,  and  represented  the  College  as  a  Delegate  to  the 
Pharmacopoeia  Conventions. 

The  stumbling  blocks  in  the  way  of  success  at  Fairfield 
were  lack  of  money,  and  pohtical  intrigues. 

Dr.  Spalding's  career  in  connection  with  the  College  may 
be  summed  up  in  this  way:  For  six  winters  in  succession, 
involving  journeys  of  some  two  thousand  miles,  he  dehvered 
lectures  on  all  the  branches  of  medicine  and  surgery  then 
taught,  operated  on  a  large  number  of  patients,  and  carried 
on  considerable  classes  in  dissection.  His  position  in  con- 
nection with  the  coUege  gave  him  a  National  Reputation, 

With  the  improved  finances  of  the  country  from  this  time 
on,  Fairfield  progressed  under  the  guidance  of  Dr.  White 


242  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

and  Dr.  Willoughby,  until  1839,  when  it  went  to  pieces,  owing 
to  disputes  concerning  the  division  of  lecture  fees.  The 
largest  class  that  ever  attended  was  217,  the  largest  graduat- 
ing class  54,  the  entire  number  of  graduates  was  555.  The 
notable  teachers  were  Dr.  Spalding,  Dr.  Shattuck,  Dr. 
Beck,  Dr.  Reuben  Mussey  ^  and  Dr.  Frank  Hamilton  (1813- 
1886)  United  States  Medical  Inspector,  Professor  in  many 
Colleges  and  best  known  for  his  works  on  Fractures. 

I  lately  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Fairfield,  and  took  a  look  at 
the  lonely  deserted  Cross  Roads,  for  village,  the  settlement 
cannot  be  called,  with  its  old  tavern,  and  its  few  decrepit 
houses.  After  the  times  I  have  just  described,  two  build- 
ings were  added  to  the  three  of  that  era,  but  they  have  dis- 
appeared. All  that  remains  of  the  Institution  is  the  ruins 
of  the  old  wooden  Academy,  the  Stone  Laboratory,  and  the 
Stone  Lecture  Hall  built  for  Dr.  Spalding.  Looking  at 
these  and  then  at  the  scattered  dwellings  it  seemed  impos- 
sible that  an  Institution  of  medicine  could  ever  have  flour- 
ished there  at  aU. 

Yet,  Fairfield  was  one  of  those  advanced  posts  of  civili- 
zation, arising  in  the  history  of  every  growing  country.  It 
was  the  only  Medical  School  outside  of  Boston,  New  York 
or  Philadelphia,  and  eager  students  flocked  to  it  in  spite  of 
its  unfortunate  situation  high  up  on  a  rolling  hill,  and  ten 
miles  from  Little  Falls,  where  it  should  have  been  originally 
founded,  to  obtain  success.  When  Albany  and  Geneva  in- 
creased in  population,  and  a  hospital  offered  a  better  chance 
for  bed-side  teaching,  Fairfield  died  a  natural  death.  Its 
record,  however,  was  splendid.  In  recalUng  its  early  years, 
let  us  give  honor  to  those  men  of  New  England,  who  en- 
dured difficulties  of  travel,  lack  of  material,  and  small  re- 
wards, for  their  courageous  efforts  to  advance  the  medical 
education  of  the  era  in  which  they  lived. 

1  Reuben  Dimond  Mussey  (1780-1866)  was  professor  of  Surgery  in 
other  Medical  Schools  than  Fairfield,  and  both  bold  and  fearless  as 
in  operator.  He  ligated  both  carotids,  and  performed  innumerable 
lithotomies.  He  was  a  vegetarian,  and  the  Records  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Medical  Society  show  that  on  one  occasion  he  was  so 
emphatic  against  tobacco,  that,  on  the  spot,  "several  members  threw 
away  their  quids."  He  was  also  fond  of  music,  and  played  the  Double 
Bass  with  great  success.  It  is  said  of  him,  that  he  once  carried  his 
Big  Fiddle  from  Hanover  to  Portsmouth,  to  show  off  his  skill  upon  it 
before  the  Medical  Society. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Review  of  Events  Between  the  Return  from  Philadelphia,  and 
Removal  to  New  York,  1810-13. 

After  this  detour  to  and  from  Fairfield  and  New  York, 
and  which  it  seemed  best  to  follow  in  one  connected  narra- 
tive, we  now  retrace  our  steps  to  the  time  when  the  invi- 
tation to  Fairfield  was  received.  Just  then  Dr.  Spalding 
had  written  to  Dr.  Dalcho  ^  for  medical  pamphlets,  and  here 
comes  the  answer: 

"Charleston,  So.  Ca.,  Oct.  12,  1810.  Dear  Sir:  I  regret  very 
much  that  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  serve  you  in  this  instance.  We 
have  no  medical  publications  in  this  City,  except,  occasionally,  an 
anniversary  Oration  or  rather  Diary.  That  for  the  last  year  has 
been  ordered  by  the  Medical  Society  to  be  sent  to  you.  We  have 
little  to  do  with  the  Sciences  here;  every  one  is  immersed  in  the 
art  of  money  making  and  even  our  friend  Dr.  Ramsay  ^  feels  a 
deeper  interest  in  writing  upon  vulgar  topics,  to  raise  the  cash,  than 
in  pleasing  the  learned  few,  by  professional  improvements.  Our 
Society  are  about  to  publish  a  Volume  of  their  Memoirs  which  I 
suppose  will  be  ready  for  the  press  in  a  few  weeks.  Yours  Re- 
spectfully, Fred'k  Dalcho." 

An  epidemic  of  small  pox  so  excited  the  people  of  Ports- 
mouth in  1810,  that  they  flocked  to  be  vaccinated,  but  Dr. 
Spalding  being  unprovided  wrote  to  Dr.  Bigelow  ^  for  a 
supply,  with  this  result. 

1  Frederick  Dalcho  (1770-1836)  was  the  son  of  a  German  Officer, 
who,  after  the  Seven  Years  War,  settled  in  London,  where  he  was  born. 
When  his  father  died  he  was  taken  to  Baltimore  to  hve  with  an  Uncle, 
studied  medicine  and  obtained  an  Army  Medical  appointment.  When 
challenged  to  a  duel  he  resigned  from  the  Army,  practiced  in  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina,  established  a  Botanical  Garden,  drifted  into 
Journalism,  and  in  1814  entered  the  Ministry.  The  work  on  which  his 
fame  serenely  rests  is  "A  History  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
in  South  Carolina."  A  tablet  to  his  memory  can  be  seen  in  St.  Michael's 
Church  in  Charleston,  of  which  he  was  Rector. 

2  "Dr.  Ramsay"  is  David;  not  Alexander. 

*  Dr.  Jacob  Bigelow  (1787-1879)  obtained  his  degree  in  Phila- 
delphia when  Dr.  Spalding  was  also  studying  there,  and  then  settled 
in  Boston.     He  was  a  fine  draughtsman,  illustrating  his  own  "Botany" 

243 


244  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Boston,  Oct.  25,  1810.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  been  prevented  at- 
tending to  yqur  favor  by  a  ride  from  town,  and  by  many  of  my 
applications,  elsewhere,  for  kine  pock  matter  being  unsuccessful. 
I  now  send  you  some  which  is  quite  recent.  I  am  undergoing  the 
preparatory  starvation  which  is  the  fate  of  most  young  men  be- 
fore acquiring  business.  I  trust,  by  the  help  of  a  httle  patience, 
that  I  shall,  sometime,  stand  a  chance  among  the  crowd,  and  so, 
am  quite  resigned.    Yours,  etc,  Jacob  Bigelow." 

A  few  days  later  came  acloiowledgment  from  Dr.  Warren 
of  a  medical  paper  which  Dr.  Spalding  had  sent  him. 

"Boston,  30th  Oct.  1810.  Dear  Sir:  I  send  you  bj'-  the  mail  a 
copy  of  the  Report  on  Petecliial  Fever,  with  oiu  thanks  for  your 
communication  on  the  subject.  At  the  same  time,  I  may  take 
the  opportmiity  of  making  my  acknowledgments  to  you  for  your 
annual  Report  of  Diseases  in  Portsmouth,  which  constitute  im- 
portant and  useful  documents.  ...  I  nominated  you  as  an  Hon- 
orary Member  of  our  Society,^  but  the  friends  of  Dr.  S.,  got  the 
start  and  as  the  law  admits  no  more  than  three  of  each  State,  the 
other  places  being  filled  by  Dr.  Cutter  and  Dr.  Tenney,  the  thing 
must  rest  at  present.  Your  preparations  got  safe  to  you,  I  hope.^ 
I  would  wiUingly  have  had  to  repack  them,  for  the  pleasure  of  ex- 
amhiing  them.  I  wrote  to  England  a  year  since  for  a  preparation 
of  the  absorbents,  not  having  any  at  all,  but  find  it  impossible  to  get 
them.  It  is  pretty  important  to  me  to  have  something  of  the  kind, 
and  if  anything  would  induce  you  to  part  with  one  of  yours,  I 
would  venture  to  make  you  some  offer  on  the  subject.  Should 
you  listen  to  anything  of  that  sort,  it  would  afford  an  opportunity 
of  increasing  the  usefulness  of  your  preparations,  and  the  reputa- 
tion of  the  preparer.  I  am  Sir,  with  esteem  and  Respect,  your 
very  Humble  Serv't,  John  C.  Warren." 

We  may  at  this  point  introduce  a  new  fiiend  who  was 
previously  mentioned  in  a  letter  from  Portland,  Dr.  Oliver 
Hubbard  (1770-1849),  who  practiced  in  Portland,  Maine, 
and  when  he  was  Forty,  obtained  a  degree  at  Dartmouth 

when  issued.  He  served  as  Professor  of  Botany  and  Materia  Medica 
in  the  Harvard  Medical  School,  and  as  Professor  of  the  Application  of 
Science  to  the  Useful  Arts  in  the  University.  He  was  of  great  assist- 
ance in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  wrote  much  on  Botany,  and  was  the  virtual 
Founder  of  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology. 

^  "Our  Society"  is  the  State  Medical,  and  Dr.  S.  is  Nathan  Smith, 
but  both  Dr.  Warren  and  Dr.  Spalding  seem  to  have  forgotten  that  Dr. 
Spalding  had  been  a  member  since  1797. 

2  "Your  Preparations"  were  those  of  the  Lymphatics  made  in 
Philadelphia,  and  loaned  to  Dr.  Warren  on  Dr.  Spalding's  way  home. 


EVENTS  1810-1813  245 

and  Philadelphia  and  finally  settled  in  Salem,  Massachu- 
setts. He  now  wrote  from  Philadelphia  where  he  was 
studying. 

"December  31,  1810.  Dear  Sir:  A  few  days  previous  to  our 
leaving  Hanover,  I  took  the  liberty  of  acquainting  you  with  my  de- 
termination of  spending  the  remainder  of  the  winter  in  Philadelphia. 
I  also,  upon  the  credit  of  your  former  goodness  requested  the  par- 
ticular favor  of  a  letter  to  one  of  the  Professors,  as  my  stay  in 
Hanover  after  this  determination  did  not  enable  me  to  obtain 
letters  from  home.  Not  having  heard  from  you  since  being  here  I 
am  induced  to  think  you  have  not  received  my  letter.  As  a  letter 
from  you  to  one  or  more  of  the  Professors  as  you  may  think  proper, 
barely  to  acquaint  them  I  am  known  to  you,  will  afford  me  much 
pleasure.  If  agreeable  to  you,  direct  your  letters  to  them,  post 
paid,  and  charge  me  with  the  postage  which  shall  be  satisfactorily 
adjusted  at  the  grand  day  of  our  meeting.  I  am  delighted  v/ith 
the  situation  in  Philadelphia,  and  its  medical  advantages:  so  far 
exceeding  anything  heretofore,  that  there  is  no  comparison.  "Dr. 
Spalding,"  "Dr.  Spalding,"  "Dr.  Spalding,"  is  aU  the  rage  here! 
I  assure  you.    Yours  Very  Obediently,  0.  Hubbard. 

N.  B.  The  Medical  Class  is  larger  than  at  any  former  period. 
Lectures  very  interesting;  Subjects  plenty;  everything  relating  to 
the  Course  goes  on  pleasantly.  Dr.  Perkuis  is  here.  Your  pres- 
ence would  contribute  very  much  to  my  happiness.  Class  4.34. 
We  passed  a  day  in  N.  Y.  but  found  theh  medical  institution  in  a 
disordered  state." 

In  the  previous  Autumn  we  heard  of  Dr.  Spalding  asking 
Dr.  Bigelow  for  vaccine,  and  now  the  favor  is  asked  by  Dr. 
Bigelow.  It  is  pleasant  to  see  his  remembrance  to  my 
Grandmother  whom  he  had  met  in  Philadelphia. 

"Boston,  Feb.  17,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  You  are  undoubtedly  ac- 
quainted with  the  old  proverb,  that  one  good  turn  deserves  another. 
I  sent  you  sometime  since  some  kine  pock  matter,  which  I  hope 
answered  your  purpose  for  two  reasons;  1st,  Because  in  that  case 
your  own  wishes  are  gratified,  and  2ndly,  Because  it  will  be  in  your 
power  to  supply  me,  again.  As  I  am  now  sadly  in  want  of  some  of 
the  virus,  for  my  own  use,  and  that  of  some  Brothers  of  the  Pill 
Box,  I  request  you  would  send  some  to  me  BY  MAIL,  as  soon  as 
possible.  I  cannot  find  any,  at  present,  in  Boston.  I  heard  of 
your  being  in  town,  lately,  and  was  sorry  you  did  not  honor  me 
with  a  Call.  My  respects  to  Mrs.  Spalding  and  Parson  Bur- 
roughs.^   Yours  truly,  Jacob  Bigelow." 

1  Rev.  Charles  Burroughs  (1787-1868)  Rector  of  St.  John's  Parish 
in  Portsmouth  for  almost  fifty  years,  President  of  the  State  Insane 
Asylimi,  and  of  the  General  Theological  Library.     One  of  my  earUest 


246  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

After  sending  the  letters  of  introduction  requested  in  a 
former  letter,  Dr.  Spalding  received  this  interesting  reply 
from  Dr.  Hubbard. 

"Philadelphia,  Feb.  21,  1811.  Dear  Sh:  For  your  polite  letter 
I  am  very  much  indebted  to  you.  My  only  apology  for  neglect  in 
answering  it,  has  been  an  apprehension  that  my  letter  would  not 
pay  the  postage.  I  assine  you,  Doctor,  it  affords  me  pleasure  that 
your  -^dsit  to  Fairfield  has  been  so  pleasant  as  you  mention.  I 
however,  had  been  made  acquainted  with  your  School,  through  a 
young  Gentleman  from  that  Vicinity,  now  residing  in  Philadelphia. 
It  would  be  vanity  in  me  to  mention  the  honorable  things  said  of 
Dr.  Spalding's  Lectures.  Our  Lectures,  you  would  like  to  hear 
something  about.  Some  little  difficulty  during  the  commencement 
of  Dr.  Wistar's  course,  in  obtaining  subjects,  has  occasioned  some 
delaj^,  which  will  occasion  him  to  lecture  until  the  10th  of  March. 
The  other  Professors  will  close,  as  usual,  on  the  4th.  You  will  not 
hesitate  to  conclude  that  they  have  been  a  source  of  great  enjoy- 
ment. I  fear,  however,  I  shall  not  leave  the  City  with  that  satis- 
faction I  could  wish.  I  regret  I  cannot  spend  more  time  here,  and 
extend  my  acquaintance  with  medicine  a  little  farther.  My  finan- 
ces will  not  admit  of  it.  Dr.  Rush  is  thought  unusually  brilhant 
this  winter.  He  has  mentioned  you  several  times  in  his  Lectures, 
as  has  also.  Dr.  Barton.  Dr.  Caldwell  of  this  City  has  been  very 
busy  this  winter  as  a  Lecturer  in  opposition  to  Dr.  Rush,  endeavor- 
ing to  support  the  locahty  of  fever:  a  man  of  handsome  talents, 
but  something  of  an  evil  nature  is  lurking  about  him,  I  suspect. 
There  have  been  very  few  operations  this  winter,  but  considerable 
dissection;  fifty  subjects.  All  the  Professors  are  so  in  the  rear 
that  several  of  them  give  two  lectures  a  day,  and  that  my  walks 
are  circumscribed  between  the  walls  of  my  Lodgings,  and  those  of 
the  University.  You  doubtless  have  not  forgotten  your  old  lodgings 
at  Mr.  Carr's.  Four  Yankees  room  together;  yourself  and  your 
good  wife  are  often  mentioned  by  them.  Immediately  upon  read- 
ing this,  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  commit  it  instantly  to  the 
flames.    Yours  affectionately,  0.  Hubbard. 

N.  B.  Dr.  Clapp  has  removed  to  Carolina,  in  expectation  of  a 
handsome  establishment.  .  .  .  Burn  this!!     12  O'Clock.    Sleepy." 

After  a  long  interval  the  Spring  of  1811  brings  a  letter 
from  Dr.  Mitchill.     It  may  be  remarked  in  connection  with 

recollections  is  of  listening  as  a  child  to  "Old  Burrough's"  favorite 
sermon  on  "The  Spirits  of  Just  men  made  Perfect."  In  his  black  silk 
surplice,  and  black  kid  gloves  he  used  to  climb  the  ten  steps  into  the 
pulpit  and  harangue  interminably.  A  man  of  magnificent  adjectives, 
he  preached  his  erratic  sermons  again  and  again,  until  they  were  as 
threadbare  as  the  sails  of  the  Flying  Dutchman. 


EVENTS  1810-1813  247 

this  letter,  that  although  these  two  friends  had  corresponded 
for  years,  they  had  never  yet  met.  It  would  also  seem  from 
the  context,  that  Dr.  Spalding  had  made  two  visits  to  New 
York. 

"Washington,  Feb.  22,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  I  learn  by  your  letter 
that  you  have  again  been  in  New  York.  When  you  were  there 
before,  1  was  absent  on  an  excursion  to  Upper  Canada.  1  am 
equally  unlucky  again,  in  being  away  on  a  mission  to  Congress.  I 
hope  that  we  shall  one  day  meet,  each  other,  face  to  face. 

Your  improved  Bill  of  Mortality  reached  me  safely,  and  after 
having  been  perused  has  been  put  on  the  file  of  my  valuable  papers 
of  the  original  and  scientific  class.  Meyer  is  a  calculating  man. 
Being  a  stockholder  in  the  Eagle  Company  where  he  is  employed, 
I  frequently  consult  him  at  the  office.  I  have  found  that  he  pos- 
sesses a  scientific  knowledge  of  the  Tables  of  Mortahty.  It  is  the 
desire  of  that  Association  to  grant  annuities  to  people,  on  a  cal- 
culation upon  lives.  This  would  be  an  admirable  improvement 
in  Society.  A  Maid,  Bachelor,  Spendthrift,  might  for  a  given 
sum  laid  down,  purchase  a  pension  to  a  definite  amount  for  life  and 
be  perfectly  secme  against  squandering  by  executors,  etc,  or  mis- 
management by  the  person  himself.  While  1  was  a  member  of 
the  Legislative  Assembly  of  N.  Y.,  at  Albany,  last  Winter,  I  en- 
deavored to  effect  an  alteration  of  the  Company's  Charter,  for 
that  purpose.  But  there  was  a  disinclination  to  grant  the  request, 
because  such  a  privilege  involved  in  it  an  unlimited  duration  of 
the  Corporation,  and  the  Legislature  was  not  in  a  humor  to  aUow 
an  indefinite  continuance  of  the  Charter.  They  are,  I  under- 
stand attempting  it  again,  this  Session,  and  I  wish  them  success. 
Should  they  engage  in  this  business,  documents  of  this  kind  with 
your  annual  tables  will  be  invaluable  to  them. 

Mr.  Van  Renssalaer  informed  me  a  few  days  ago,  that  you  had 
visited  Fairfield  Academy  in  Herkimer.  Five  thousand  dollars 
are  to  be  raised  for  the  anatomical  and  medical  department  of  that 
Institution,  by  the  management  of  the  "Lottery  for  the  promotion 
of  Medical  Science,"  of  which  I  am  one. 

For  intelligence,  I  could  write  much,  if  I  had  time.  A  Session  of 
Congress  is  always  a  harvest  of  Science  for  me.  I  have  forwarded 
part  of  the  collection  to  Dr.  Miller  for  insertion  in  the  Feb.  No.  of 
the  "Repository,"  and  to  that  I  must  refer  you  for  particulars. 
Sam.  L.  Mitchill." 

When  Dr.  Spalding  as  Secretary  of  the  State  Medical 
Society  asked  Dr.  Nathan  Smith  the  title  of  his  proposed 
Oration  to  be  read  before  the  annual  meeting  in  1811,  he 
received  this  characteristic  answer. 


248  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Hanover,  April  19,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your  favor  by 
Dr.  Perkins,  respecting  an  Oration,  as  you  are  pleased  to  call  it, 
which  I  shall  deliver  to  the  N.  H.  Med.  S.  You  know  what  my 
former  habits  have  been  viz,  to  deUver  my  sentiments  in  as  plain 
and  simple  a  style  as  possible  and,  as  this  method  has  raised  me  to 
honor,  and  my  pupils  to  a  rank  at  least  equal  to  any  medical  man's 
pupils  in  New  England,  I  should  not  like  to  depart  from  my  former 
practice,  and  especiallj'',  as  what  I  have  to  say  to  the  Society  will 
be  wholly  confined  to  the  theory  and  treatment  of  one  or  two 
diseases  which  can  onlj^  interest  medical  men,  I  should  thinlc  it 
highly  improper  to  deliver  my  sentiments  before  a  public  audience. 
You  will  therefore  advertise  that  the  discourse  (for  I  should  not 
like  to  call  it  an  oration,  lest  from  the  name  I  should  be  inclined  to 
try  to  play  the  Orator)  will  be  dehvered  before  the  Society,  in  their 
Hall.^    Your  Friend,  Nathan  Smith." 

After  Dr.  Hubbard  had  obtained  his  degree  in  Phila- 
delphia, he  went  to  Portland,  caUing  at  Portsmouth  both 
on  going,  and  returning  to  Salem,  from  which  place  he  wrote 
again  to  this  effect. 

"Salem,  June  13,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  Immediately  upon  coming  to 
Salem  I  went  to  Boston,  where  I  tarried  a  few  days  with  friends, 
with  an  expectation  upon  my  return  to  Salem  that  I  should  have 
the  pleasure  of  hearing  from  you.  I  am  however,  so  far,  deprived 
of  that  pleasure. 

Dr.  Cutter  appeared  very  pleasant  upon  the  subject  of  my  loca- 
tion and  expressed  a  willingness  to  pay  all  the  attention  which  I 
requested  or  the  value  of  the  subject  required.  I  regi'et  that  I 
did  not  see  him  again,  when  I  came  through  Portsmouth,  and  also 
Dr.  Pierrepont.  I  was,  however,  so  situated  that  a  longer  stay 
was  impossible.    I  cannot  say  that  I  shall  tarry  here  permanently. 

Dr.  OUver^  is  very  particular  in  his  inquiries  for  your  health 
and  happiness.    Had  I  known  of  your  acquaintance  with  him,  I  am 

1  Dr.  Smith's  papers  were  entitled  "Pathology  and  Physiology  of 
Arteries,"  "Spontaneous  Stopping  of  Hemorrhage  in  wounded  Arteries," 
"Spontaneous  Hemorrhage"  and  "An  Artificial  Joint  in  the  Thigh 
Bone  Cured  by  an  Operation." 

2  Dr.  Ohver  and  Dr.  Mussey  were  in  partnership  at  Salem,  but  Dr. 
Mussey  had  just  gone  to  Philadelphia  to  walk  the  Hospitals. 

Dr.  Daniel  Oliver  (1787-1848)  was  very  much  in  evidence  in  Dart- 
mouth College  for  many  years,  being  Lecturer  on  Chemistry  and 
Materia  Mcdica,  Professor  of  Intellectual  Pliilosophy,  and  at  one  time 
mentioned  for  the  Presidency.  He  also  lectured  at  the  Harvard  and 
Bowdoin  Medical  Schools  and  at  the  Cincinnati  Medical  Colloge.  He 
was  the  "Ohver"  of  "Pickering's  and  Ohver's  Greek  Dictionary." 
He  was  too  versatile,  however,  to  be  a  great  man.  He  explored  the 
Law  and  Medicine,  and  was  planning  for  the  ministry  when  he  died. 


EVENTS  1810-1813  249 

seriously  apprehensive  that  I  should  again  have  thrown  myself  on 
your  favor  for  a  letter  of  introduction.  Will  you  also  acquaint  me, 
when  or  where,  you  heard  from  Dr.  Taft?  ^  I  intended  inquiring  of 
him  before.  Somebody  here,  mentioned  him  being  in  the  Western 
part  of  N.  Y.    With  High  Esteem,  0.  Hubbard. 

N.  B.  The  report  of  Dr.  Smith  removing  to  Boston  gains  credit 
there  and  at  Salem.  Dr.  Mussey  is  on  a  journey  to  Philadelphia. 
After  attempting  to  read  this  imperfect  scrawl,  be  good  enough  to 
commit  it  to  the  flames." 

The  following  letter  from  a  Fairfield  pupil,  whom  I  am 
unable  to  identify,  shows  the  discouraging  state  of  medical 
study  a  century  ago. 

"Dracut,  Massachusetts,  July  16,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  Having  at- 
tended two  courses  of  Lectures  at  Fairfield,  one  of  which  was 
under  your  instruction,  and  not  having  opportunity  to  see  much 
practice  in  that  quarter,  early  in  the  Spring  I  returned  to  Dracut, 
where  I  have  read  and  seen  some  practice  with  Dr.  Bradley,2  whose 
library  is  small,  and  whose  skill  depends  on  his  experience,  not  his 
theory.  There  are  so  many  physicians  in  the  country  without 
Libraries  who  pay  no  attention  to  the  late  discoveries  in  medicine, 
and  who  have  lived  and  grown  up  with  the  people,  who  detest 
Theory,  and  are  so  prejudiced  in  favor  of  their  own  skill,  that 
their  aid  is  hardly  worth  soliciting.  I  have  been  supported  thus 
far  in  my  studies  by  the  patronage  of  my  parents.  I  would  how- 
ever wish  to  procure  some  privilege,  under  which  I  could  progress, 
in  the  Science  of  Medicine,  without  calling  on  their  pecuniary  aid. 
Therefore  if  you  could  employ  me  in  compounding  or  vending 
medicines,  in  making  any  apparatus  with  which  1  am  acquainted, 
or  in  any  business  that  would  accrue  to  the  defraying  of  my  ex- 
penses in  my  pursuit,  and  at  the  same  time  could  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  attending  to  some  of  the  theory  and  practice  of  medicine, 
it  would  be  welcome.  If  you  could  favor  my  request  and  would 
write  me  a  line,  you  would  oblige  your  most  obedient  Servant, 
Jesse  Fox." 

One  of  the  most  precious  autographs  of  the  unique  col- 
lection upon  which  this  Life  is  based,  is  the  following  from 
Dr.  Warren,  written  on  the  reverse  of  a  "Proposals  for  Pub- 
lishing a  Work  to  be  Entitled,  The  New  England  Journal  of 
Medicine  and  Surgery,  and  the  Collateral  Branches  of 
Science.  Boston,  Sept.  1811." 

1  Dr.  Hubbard  was  interested  in  Dr.  Taft,  for  they  both  received 
their  Medical  Degrees  from  Dartmouth  in  1811. 

^  Dr.  Bradley  was  a  practitioner  who  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Peleg,  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society. 


250  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Boston,  Sept.  23,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  I  enclose  you 'the  pro- 
spectus of  a  new  work,  with  a  view  of  requesting  yours  and  Dr. 
Pierrepont's  aid  in  carrying  it  on.  It  is  to  be  the  genuine  Yankee, 
and  as  such,  I  hope  you  will  cherish  it.  We  shall  await  your  com- 
munications. 

I  hear  nothing  of  your  going  to  Europe.  Should  you  still  think 
of  it,  there  are  two  or  three  Gentlemen  lately  from  the  Schools, 
who  can  give  you  much  information  on  the  subject.  I  shall  be 
happy  to  give  you  such  letters  as  may  be  in  my  power.  Please  to 
make  every  body  subscribe  to  our  Journal,  whom  you  can  lay 
hands  on.  A  notice  in  your  newspapers  of  the  Work  would  help 
us.  I  am  with  respect  and  Esteem,  Yrs.  J.  C.  Warken.  (Editors 
not  to  be  made  known!!)" 

A  note  at  this  time  from  Professor  Silliman  mentions  an 
injury  of  which  I  find  no  suggestion  in  any  "Life"  of  that 
gentleman. 

"New  Haven,  Oct.  9,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  I  ought  to  have  thanked 
you,  long  since  for  your  attention  in  forwarding  your  paper  on 
Meteoric  stones,  and  for  offering  to  execute  commissions  in  Europe, 
for  me.  For  three  months  past,  however,  my  eyes  have  been 
rendered  nearly  and  for  part  of  the  time,  wholly  useless,  by  a 
dangerous  explosion  of  fulminating  powder.  If  I  am  not  too  late 
at  this  date,  be  so  good  as  to  inform  me  when  you  go  to  Europe,  to 
what  Country,  what  Capitals  you  propose  to  visit,  and  how  long 
you  propose  to  remain  in  each?    Your  Ob'd't.  Serv't.  B.  Silliman." 

The  year  1811  terminates  with  this  brief  item  concerning 
New  Hampshire  Medical  affairs. 

"Epsom,  N.  H.  Nov.  23,  1811.  Dear  Sir:  Mr.  John  Carr,  a 
student  in  Medicine,  was  at  Salisbury,  the  2nd  Oct.  last,  Examined 
by  Dr.  Ebenezer  Lerned  and  myself.  Censors  of  the  N.  H.  Medical 
Society,  and  found  duly  qualified  to  practice  Physic  and  Surgery. 
This,  is  to  request  you  to  prepare  him  Letters  Testimonial,  and  in- 
form me  when  he  may  call  on  you  at  Portsmouth  and  receive  them, 
at  which  time  he  will  leave  with  you  the  Answers  to  the  Questions 
proposed  to  him  by  the  Censors,  together  with  their  Certificate  of 
Approbation.  I  have  never  yet  rec'd  a  Certificate  of  my  Fellow- 
ship with  the  N.  H.  Medical  Society.  With  much  respect  and 
esteem  your  Obedient  Servant,  Sam'l  Mobrill."  ^ 

1  Dr.  Morrill  was  admitted  to  the  Society  in  1807,  and  officiated 
Bome  time  as  Librarian.  He  was  a  Phillips-Exeter  Boy  of  1797  and 
survived  until  1858.  Although  John  Carr  was  now  examined  and  ap- 
proved for  membership,  he  did  not  claim  it  until  1817. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Last  Year  in  Portsmouth  —  1812. 

The  year  was  ushered  in  by  the  arrival  of  an  agreeable 
letter  from  Dr.  Taft,  a  former  pupil  and  intimate  friend  of 
the  family,  of  whom  we  have  heard  before  as  attending 
Ramsay's  lectures  at  Hanover. 

"Nixonton,  N.  C.  Jany.  27,  1812.  Honored  Patron:  I  beg  you 
to  excuse  me  for  not  writing  you  ere  this,  as  I  render  as  an  excuse, 
my  not  having  settled  myself  till  now.  I  am  now  in  the  above 
place,  County  of  Pasquotank,  North  Carolina,  a  place  as  un- 
healthy as  a  Physician  could  wish,  if  he  had  any  love  for  his  own 
life.  The  Fall  months  are  a  great  harvest  to  him,  if  he  did  not  fall 
a  prey,  himself.  The  land  is  low,  very  level,  and  very  rich.  There- 
fore, the  farmers  are  wealthy.  The  people  are  luxurious  in  their 
drinks  and  diet,  their  water  is  intolerably  bad,  which  produces  sad 
work  with  the  intestines.  The  charges  of  physicians  are  very 
high,  40  or  50  cents  per  mile  for  travel,  emetics  40c,  and  all  other 
medicine  in  proportion.  I  have  met  with  a  most  cordial  reception 
among  the  first  inhabitants  of  the  places  which  I  have  visited; 
among  the  common  people  I  succeed,  to  my  mind,  by  endeavor- 
ing to  please  them  with  those  httle  assiduities,  which  hardly  ever 
fail  to  please  ANY  ONE.  By  these  means  and  the  advantages  I 
had  while  under  your  instruction,  and  the  intense  study  (which  I 
am  determined  to  pay)  I  think  I  shall  succeed  to  the  utmost  of  my 
wishes  in  point  of  employment.  ...  I  had  a  hundred  dollars  on 
my  books  before  I  had  determined  on  settling  here  in  the  space  of 
One  month,  notwithstanding  their  Winter,  Spring  and  suncuner  are 
considered  very  healthy,  and  the  sickly  season  over  before  I  ar- 
rived. I  wrote  you  from  Norfolk.  What  I  wrote  I  know  not.  I 
have  forgotten.  Something  was  requested  by  way  of  information. 
I  could  wish  you  to  reply  to  them  if  you  have  not  lost  the  scrawl; 
Particularly  on  whom  I  can  most  depend  for  medicine  of  the  first 
quahty  and  honest  price  in  N.  Y.;  2d;  where  I  could  best  get 
my  books,  in  future.  I  have  sent  to  New  York  for  $50  worth  on 
credit  but  those  only  which  you  marked.  Third  have  the  goodness 
Sir  to  give  me  what  information  you  may  think  proper  to  com- 
municate, particularly  how  your  operation  at  Exeter  succeeded,  the 
Boy  at  N.  Hampton,  and  the  Negro  Boy  and  so  forth. 

I  much  wish  you  to  oblige  me  in  one  respect,  and  hope  you  will 
not  deny  me;  Viz.,  to  sell  me  some  of  your  preparations.    They 

251 


252  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

will  be  of  much  consequence  to  me,  you  may  depend,  and  not  only 
in  point  of  sound  knowledge,  but  also  of  information.  I  cannot 
make  any  here.  The  weather  is  too  hot,  even  in  winter.  Set  your 
owTi  price.  Only  send  them  to  me,  and  you  shall  have  your  money. 
I  leave  it  to  you,  what  of  them  to  send.  I  know  you  will  send  those 
that  wall  be  of  most  benefit,  but  I  beg  you  to  send  them,  as  you 
may  never  have  an  opportimity  to  make  more,  there,  or  at  Fair- 
field. Send  them  to  Norfolk  by  the  first  vessel  from  your  Port.  .  .  . 
Mrs.  Spalding  will  please  to  accept  my  most  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments for  the  kind  treatment  by  me  received  while  in  your  house, 
and  I  hope  you  will,  both,  be  pleased  to  consider  me  worthy  a  share 
of  your  esteem,  which  I  will  endeavor  not  to  forfeit.  Remember 
me  to  Miss  Caroline,  Nancy,  and  to  Master  Samuel,^  as  also  to 
Capt.  Coues,  also  to  the  children,  and  suffer  me  to  subscribe  myself 
your  Grateful  Pupil,  and  Humble  Servant,  Chas.  Taft." 

Dr.  Mitchill's  next  letter  shows  Dr.  Spalding  planning  to 
settle  in  New  York,  and  receiving  encouragement  from  his 
old  friend. 

"Washington,  27  Jan.  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  waited  several 
days  since  the  receipt  of  your  letter,  to  converse  with  Dr.  Bartlett, 
but  he  is  rather  too  unwell  to  discourse  on  the  matter  of  your 
letter,  and  though  I  visited  him  yesterday  in  his  chamber  I  did  not 
mention  your  intended  removal.  As  to  success  in  N.  Y.,  there  can 
be  little  doubt,  that  with  patience  and  perseverance  you  will  suc- 
ceed. But  I  think  you  will  find  it  tedious  "to  beat  your  way,"  as 
the  sailors  term  it,  against  wind  and  tide.  You  will  desire,  of 
course,  to  figure  in  genteel  circles,  and  to  associate  with  the  middle 
and  higher  classes  of  society.  The  Famihes  of  these  orders  are 
you  know,  pretty  much  bespoke  already,  and  it  is  chiefly  by  a 
death,  or  removal,  or  a  quarrel,  that  a  new  physician  can  gain 
admission,  and  knots  of  medical  men  are  formed,  who  throw  into 
each  other's  hands  as  much  of  the  consultation  business  as  they 
can. 

For  my  own  part,  being  not  among  the  competitors  for  practice, 
I  look  on  with  a  good  deal  of  unconcern,  and  let  them  scramble 
and  divide  the  spoils  in  their  own  way.  ...  I  know  not  the  extent 
of  the  coimection  you  may  have  formed  amongst  the  New  England 

^  Caroline,  Nancy  and  Samuel  were  children  of  Captain  Peter 
Coue-s  and  con.sequently  sisters  and  a  brother  to  Mrs.  Spalding. 

Samuel  Eliot  Coues  (1797-1867)  became  a  merchant  and  ship 
owner  of  Portsmouth,  was  a  man  of  great  breadth  of  mind,  wrote  a 
great  deal  for  the  Magazines,  lectured  on  Philosophy,  wrote  a  "Re- 
search into  the  Laws  of  Force,"  liked  to  argue  that  Newton  was  in- 
correct in  his  philosophy,  and  was  an  excellent  conversationalist.  He 
was  much  interested  in  the  Insane,  and  was  for  many  years  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  American  Peace  Society. 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  253 

people,  and  others,  in  our  City,  but,  at  any  rate,  I  think  you  ought 
to  calculate  on  being  at  least  two  or  three  years  expending  more 
money  than  you  will  earn.  As  to  myself,  I  shall  consider  a  man  of 
your  character  and  information,  a  real  acquisition  to  our  Society 
in  New  York,  and  extend  to  you  the  right  hand  of  fellowship, 
accordingly. 

I  am  glad  to  learn  that  so  much  good  is  doing  at  Fairfield,  and  it 
pleases  me,  that  my  Legislative  Efforts  to  serve  that  Institution, 
during  the  winter  of  1810,  were  of  avail.  Yours  with  great  esteem 
and  regard,  Sam'l  L.  Mitchill." 

When  Dr.  Spalding  had  made  up  his  mind  to  leave  Ports- 
mouth, he  tried  to  sell  his  practice  and  amongst  many- 
offers  received,  I  make  use  of  a  few. 

Dr.  Matthias  Spalding  of  Amherst,  wrote  him  this  ex- 
cellent note : 

"Amherst,  N.  H.  Feb.  4,  1812.  Dear  Sn:  A  few  days  since  I 
rec'd  a  hne  from  you,  in  which  you  say  you  contemplate  a  removal 
to  the  City  of  New  York  in  the  course  of  the  present  year;  provided 
you  can  dispose  of  your  present  stand,  part  of  your  Library,  Ana- 
tomical Museum,  and  Physician's  Stock  of  medicine.  The  Stand 
you  say,  is  now,  or  soon  will  be  the  first  in  the  State.  I  never  in- 
tended to  make  tliis  place  a  stand  for  Life,  but  intended  removing 
either  to  Boston  or  Salem.  But  I  have  no  objection  to  remove  to 
Portsmouth,  provided  you  and  I  can  agree  on  the  disposal  of  your 
property.  ...  In  the  First  place,  I  have  a  good  and  I  beheve  a 
well  chosen  Library,  and  as  many  Anatomical  Preparations  as 
would  perhaps  be  useful  to  me,  as  I  probably  could  dispose  of  mine 
in  this  place.  I  consider  my  stand  here  as  good  as  any  in  the 
Country,  but  it  is  too  fatiguing  for  me.  My  rides  are  too  long  and 
the  Society  of  physicians  is  not  so  good  as  could  be  wished.  Will 
you  have  the  goodness  to  write  me  again,  and  tell  me  what  the  in- 
come of  your  practice  in  Portsmouth  is,  and  what  your  situation 
will  be  estimated  at?  Also,  when  you  would  wish  to  leave  your 
Situation,  provided  you  can  dispose  of  it  to  your  mind?  WiU  not 
our  Medical  Meeting  be  at  Exeter  in  May,  and  wiU  not  that  be  a 
proper  time  for  an  interview  on  the  subject?  Please  to  write  to 
me  on  the  subject,  and  accept  of  my  acknowledgments  for  your 
polite  attention  in  forwarding  to  me  the  Testimonials  of  Fellow- 
ship in  the  N.  H.  Med.  Society.  I  am,  Sir,  with  much  esteem  and 
respect,  Matthias  Spalding." 

The  letter  is  endorsed,  $1046  (including  $100  as  Work 
House  physician  and  $100  for  public  vaccination) ,  from  which 
I  surmise  that  those  figures  were  returned  to  Dr.  M.  Spald- 
ing, as  the  income  for  1811  of  Dr.  Lyman  Spalding. 


254  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

This  bargain  fell  through,  as  did  another  attempt  with 
Dr.  Edmund  Carlton  of  Haverhill,  New  Hampshire,  a 
quaint  and  humorous  physician  as  the  chronicles  tell  me, 
fond  of  minute  doses  of  medicine.  He  practiced  in  Haver- 
hill until  his  death  in  1838. 

Dr.  Benjamin  Hunking  (1782-1868)  who  finally  took  over 
the  practice  was  an  odd  sort  of  a  man,  who  practiced  at 
Lancaster,  New  Hampshire,  after  graduating  at  Dartmouth 
in  1808.  After  removing  to  Portsmouth  in  this  year,  he 
obtained  an  appointment  as  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  Navy 
and  when  peace  was  declared,  he  returned  to  Lancaster 
where  he  not  only  practiced  medicine,  but  was  Post  Master 
and  Judge  of  Probate  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  had  a  tower- 
shaped  skull  like  Sir  Walter  Scott,  and  was  a  Character. 

Three  of  his  notes  concerning  this  affair  may  be  put  into 
the  following  shape: 

"July  9,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  My  friends  have  long  been  solicitous 
that  I  should  leave  the  most  laborious  business  in  the  world  or  re- 
move to  a  place  where  it  could  be  attended  to  with  less  fatigue.  I 
should  be  unwilUng  to  obligate  myseK  to  respond  to  any  sum  till 
I  had  made  a  trial  in  the  place.  If  at  the  end  of  a  year,  I  should 
see  only  a  bare  competence,  I  should  entirely  abandon  the  place, 
rather  than  pay  the  sum  you  name.  On  the  other  hand,  if  I  should 
think  there  was  a  tolerable  prospect  of  doing  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years,  business  to  the  amount  of  $1500  or  $2000,  I  would  pay  the 
sum  mentioned  in  yearly  payments  of  $200  or  $300.  Of  the  chances 
for  such  circumstances  you  are  the  best  judge.  Your  Friend, 
Benj.  Hunking." 

Writing  August  18,  he  adds: 

"I  think  I  shall  so  far  arrange  my  business  here  as  to  be  in 
Portsmouth  the  first  of  October.  Nothing  shall  prevent  except  as 
a  result  of  health  and  that  is  better  than  when  I  saw  you  last. 
Should  it  continue  as  good,  or  improve,  it  is  my  determination  to 
remove  to  your  place.    B.  H." 

After  dechning  the  offer  of  the  Anatomical  Cabinet,  in 
August,  Dr.  Hunking  settled  in  Portsmouth  in  October,  left 
there  in  the  early  Spring  of  1813,  and  his  office  was  occupied 
by  Dr.  John  Thurston,  formerly  practising  in  Castine.  Dr. 
Thurston  remained  in  Portsmouth  some  years,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Newburyport  where  he  died  in  1835.  His  letter 
expressing  a  desire  to  come  earlier  to  Portsmouth  did  not 
arrive   until   an   agreement  with   Dr.   Hunking   had   been 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  255 

signed,   but  as  it  is  so  informatory  concerning  both  the 
writer  and  its  recipient,  it  shall  find  a  place  here. 

"Castine,  Maine,  Sept.  6,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  Since  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you,  I  have  formed  a  determination  to  leave  this 
place,  provided  my  prospects  do  not  brighten  in  the  course  of  three 
months.  I  have  of  course,  busied  myself  in  looking  for  a  residence, 
elsewhere.  You  having  informed  me,  that  you  would  probably 
leave  Portsmouth  in  the  Fall,  it  occurred  to  me  that  you  must 
leave  room  for  a  successor.  Though  you  are  not  satisfied  with 
your  situation,  yet  as  my  expectations  at  this  time  are  small,  and 
would  be  answered  by  a  decent  livelihood,  perhaps  the  prospects 
afforded  by  the  business  of  the  town,  and  the  patronage  of  such  as 
might  be  inclined  to  exert  themselves  in  my  favor  would  accomplish 
the  object  desired.  If  you  have  determined  to  leave,  and  have  not 
disposed  of  your  influence,  which  must  be  extensive,  if  it  is  agreeable 
to  you,  I  would  ask,  whether,  and  on  what  terms,  you  would  be 
willing  to  exert  it  in  my  favor.  Your  acquaintance  with  me  you 
may  think  insufficient  to  authorize  you  to  recommend  me.  I 
would  refer  you  to  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  or  Dr.  Noyes  of  Newbury. 

Wishing  you  all  the  success  in  your  scientific  pursuits  which  your 
researches  merit,  and  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  find  a  place 
more  congenial  with  your  views,  I  cannot  but  regret  that  you  have 
been  so  poorly  rewarded.    Yours  Respectfully,  John  Thurston." 

A  brief  note  from  Dr.  Mitchill  shows  him  still  remindful 
of  his  young  friend  in  Portsmouth. 

"Washington,  Feb.  21,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  regret  that  before  the 
arrival  of  your  note.  Dr.  Bartlett  had  left  the  seat  of  Government. 
Finding  himself  too  unwell  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  station,  he 
had  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  the  remainder  of  the  session. 
Your  BILLS  of  Mortality  have  been  respectfully  quoted  by  Mr. 
Meyer  of  N.  Y.,  in  his  Work,  "On  Insurance  Upon  Lives."  Your 
Bill  for  1811  contains  the  melancholy  record  of  almost  a  fourth  of 
the  people  dying  with  consimaption.     Is  there  no  Balm  in  Gilead! 

Yet,  why  not  die  of  that  disease  as  well  as  any  other!!  Re- 
spectfully Yours,  Sam.  L.  Mitchell." 

Medical  interest  at  this  time  was  concentrated  on  artificial 
mineral  waters,  and  as  Dr.  Spalding  had  been  the  leader  in 
introducing  them,  he  had  frequent  inquiries  concerning 
their  composition.  I  offer  at  this  point  a  letter  from  Dr. 
William  Thorndike  (1785-1818)  of  Portland,  Maine,  which 
mentions  the  subject. 

"Portland,  Maine,  March  28,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  took  the  liberty 
of  writing  by  my  friend  to  you,  for  information  on  the  subject  of 


256  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

preparing  artificial  mineral  waters.  My  Friend  not  having  been  so 
fortunate  as  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  on  his  return  from 
Boston^  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  renewing  my  request,  by 
writing.  I  have  conversed  wdth  Mr.  Cleaveland/  Professor  of 
Chemistry  at  Bowdoin  on  the  subject.  He  is  of  the  opinion  these 
waters  may  be  accurately  prepared  by  repeatedly  combining  the 
materials  wliich^  compose  them.  This  method,  however,  would  of 
necessity  occupy  considerable  time,  and  likewise  incur  considerable 
expense,  which  induces  me  to  ask  you  to  point  out  to  me  the  most 
ehgible  method  of  obtaining  information  on  the  subject.  The  sale 
for  those  Waters  in  this  place  would  probably  be  very  small,  but  as 
I  am  in  the  Practice  of  Physic,  it  might  be  of  some  consequence  to 
me.  If  you  would  be  so  obhging  as  to  write  to  me  a  few  lines  about 
the  subject  of  my  request,  you  will  not  only  confer  an  obhgation  of 
friendship,  but  I  shall  feel  myself  in  duty  bound  to  make  you 
ample  remuneration  for  your  trouble.  With  profound  respect, 
etc,  Wm.  Thorndike."^ 

Soon  after  his  recovery  from  the  affection  which  had 
caused  him  to  leave  Washington,  Dr.  Josiah  Bartlett  re- 
called the  fact  of  Dr.  Spalding's  intention  to  leave  Ports- 
mouth, and  sent  him  this  charming  note. 

"Stratham,  April  14,  1812.  My  Dear  Sir:  Learning  with  re- 
gret that  you  contemplate  a  removal  to  the  State  and  City  of  New 
York,  permit  me,  my  friend  to  avail  myself  of  this  opportunity  to 
assure  you  of  my  respectful  esteem.  Your  labors  in  the  study  and 
practice  of  medicine  since  your  residence  in  our  vicinity  have  called 
forth  the  gratitude  of  the  people  and  the  esteem  and  friendship  of 
your  professional  brethren.  Our  Society  will  lose  the  services  of 
an  able,  active  member  and  Officer,  and  one  to  whom  it  is  beholden 
for  many  of  its  useful  regulations.  For  myself,  I  assure  you  that 
ray  expectations  of  your  usefulness  in  the  first  commercial  city  in 
the  United  States,  alone  mitigates  the  sorrow  I  feel  at  our  loss. 
May  you  still  pursue  scientific  truth,  both  theoretically  and  practi- 
cally, and  continue  your  beneficial  career;  is  the  sincere  wish  of 
Your  Friend,  Josiah  Bartlett." 

1  Professor  Parker  Cleaveland  (1780-1858)  was  graduated  at  Har- 
vard in  1799,  served  there  as  Tutor  some  years,  and  then  was  elected 
Professor  of  Mathematics,  Natural  History  and  Chemistry  at  Bowdoin. 
He  was  a  very  eccentric,  yet  able  teacher  and  received  many  honorary 
degrees.  His  "Text  Book  on  Chemistry"  attracted  world  wide 
attention. 

Painfully  accurate  as  a  lecturer,  all  of  his  chemical  experiments 
were  neatly  planned  and  successfully  carried  out. 

^  Dr.  Thorndike  was  appointed  Surgeon's  Mate  in  the  Army,  and 
after  the  War  of  1812  he  settled  in  Milford,  Ohio,  where  he  died. 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  257 

A  letter  written  at  this  time,  by  Mr.  John  Jackson,  already 
mentioned  as  a  cousin  of  Dr.  Spalding's  living  in  New  York, 
gives  much  information  concerning  physicians'  offices  and 
rentals  at  that  time. 

"New  York,  15th  April,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  this  day  pro- 
cured for  you  the  refusal  of  two  Rooms,  on  2d  floor  of  a  House 
situated  in  Broadway  No.  197,  between  St.  Paul's  and  Trinity 
Churches,  in  an  eligible  situation,  one  of  which  is  a  small  bed  room 
in  front,  directly  over  the  front  door  leading  into  the  house,  with  a 
sitting  room  back,  and  well  calculated  for  a  Study,  and  Office  at 
the  moderate  rent  of  £45  per  annum  for  both:  to  be  furnished  with 
everything  needed  in  a  decent  style,  say  Bed  and  Bedding,  Chairs, 
Tables,  Looking  Glass,  Andirons,  shovel  and  tongs,  washing  uten- 
sils, and  Carpet,  mth  a  privilege  of  breakfast  and  Tea  in  your  own 
room  or  with  the  family,  at  an  addition  of  Three  Dollars  a  week, 
optional,  however,  with  yourself.  The  sitting  room  is  a  handsome 
square  room  about  the  size  of  the  Sitting  room  in  Capt.  Coues' 
house.  It  is  also  optional  for  you  to  furnish  your  own  rooms,  in 
which  case  you  can  have  them  at  £40,  equal  to  $100.  The  landlady 
is  a  Widow  and  has  8  or  9  steady  boarders,  all  yoimg  men  in  busi- 
ness. She  appears  to  be  disposed  to  accommodate  on  favorable 
and  easy  terms,  and  it  is  also  a  pleasant  and  agreeable  Lady.  I 
obtained  the  rent  low,  her  principal  object  being  to  secure  a  perma- 
nent tenant  for  a  year.  If  you  should  require  but  the  one  room 
on  your  arrival  here,  she  will  make  a  reasonable  reduction  for  the 
other.  An  answer  must  be  given  in  8  days  that  she  may  not  be 
deprived  of  obtaining  another  tenant,  if  any  offer.  My  opinion  is, 
they  will  suit  your  purpose,  and  you  will  have  occasion  for  both 
the  rooms,  which  will  be  ready  on  May  1st.  Also  there  is  privilege 
of  the  servant  to  answer  your  calls,  and  keep  your  rooms  in  order, 
and  privilege  of  the  cellar  sufficient  for  your  Wood. 

I  called  on  the  landlady  who  is  to  occupy  the  house  in  which  the 
late  Dr.  Miller  hired  apartments.  She  could  not  accommodate  you 
without  boarding  in  the  family,  and  the  price  $500  for  board  and 
one  room.  The  Family  is  Mrs.  Rogers,  a  pleasant  family.  The 
board,  I  am  well  acquainted  with,  it  being  my  last  boarding  house. 
The  room  that  would  be  given  you  is  about  the  same  size  as  the 
sitting  room  before  described,  and  on  the  2d  floor  next  adjoining  the 
front  room,  with  privileges  that  you  have  stated  in  your  letter. 
You  will  not  delay  answering  this  by  return  of  Mail,  in  which  case 
I  can  secure  the  apartments  here  described,  as  the  refusal  is  Umited 
to  8  days.  Please  also  say  when  you  are  coming  on.  Yours  Re- 
spectfully, etc.,  John  Jackson,  Jun. 

N.  B.  A  few  letters  from  some  of  your  principal  characters  may 
be  of  considerable  advantage  in  establishing  yourself  here.    Dr. 


258  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

McNeven  ^  is  appointed  Resident  Physician  in  place  of  Dr.  Miller. 
Mrs.  Rogers'  is  a  BRICK  house;  the  other  a  wooden  one. 

Dr.  Spalding  decided  in  favor  of  Mrs.  Rogers',  175  Broad- 
way, and  lived  there  until  his  family  reached  New  York, 
when  they  moved  to  No.  8  Fair  St.  (afterward  Fulton), 
and  finally  to  81  Beekman  St.,  on  the  corner  of  Chff  St.,  for 
which  a  rental  of  S500  was  paid. 

Dr.  Wistar  was  also  consulted  concerning  the  proposed 
removal  to  New  York,  and  expressed  his  opinion  in  this 
way. 

"Philadelphia,  April  18,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  am  sorry  that  it  is 
not  in  my  power  to  offer  you  any  advice  or  to  give  you  any  in- 
formation relative  to  the  subject  of  establishing  yourself  at  N.  Y., 
as  I  am  altogether  without  information  respecting  the  real  state  of 
the  Practice  of  Medicine  in  that  City.  It  may  be  observed,  how- 
ever, that  several  medical  Gentlemen  who  are  very  prominent  as 
practitioners  removed  to  N.  Y.  after  they  had  been  established  at 
other  places.  The  late  Dr.  Miller  was  an  interesting  example  of 
this  kind.  Dr.  Osborn  2  affords  a  similar  example.  Dr.  Smith,^ 
one  of  the  Professors  of  Anatomy,  was  also  a  stranger  there. 

1  Dr.  William  James  MacNeven  (1763-1841)  was  bom  in  County 
Galway,  Ireland,  and  graduated  at  Vienna.  He  first  practiced  in 
Dublin  and  was  at  one  time  imprisoned  there  for  political  offenses,  and 
amused  himself  during  his  detention  by  translating  Ossian.  After 
escaping,  he  served  with  the  Irish  Brigade  in  France,  and  after  many 
adventures  reached  New  York,  where  he  soon  obtained  success  in 
medicine.  He  lectured  on  Obstetrics,  Materia  Medica  and  Chemistry, 
published  an  American  edition  of  Brande's  "Chemistry"  and  was  of 
much  assistance  in  composing  the  Pharmacopoeia.  His  "Rambles  in 
Switzerland"  were  highly  prized,  and  as  he  spoke  German,  French,  and 
Irish,  he  was  considered  a  miracle  of  learning. 

2  Dr.  John  Churchill  Osborn  (1766-1819)  was  a  Grandson  of  Dr. 
John  Osborn,  a  Harvard  man  of  1735,  and  a  son  of  a  second  Dr.  John 
Osborn  (1741-1825)  who  served  in  the  Colonial  Wars  and  practiced 
for  sixty  years  in  Connecticut.  John  Churchill  Osborn  practiced  first 
in  New  Berne,  North  Carolina,  and  then  in  New  York,  where  he  was 
elected  Professor  of  the  Institute  of  Medicine  and  Obstetrics.  He 
owned  a  fine  miscellaneous  library  and  was  intimate  with  the  Literati, 
including  Joel  Barlow,  whose  celebrated  poems  he  revised  for  publi- 
cation. 

*  "Dr.  Smith"  was  John  Augustine  Smith  (1782-1865),  a  graduate 
of  William  and  Mary,  who  studied  abroad  and  then  practiced  in  an 
obscure  hamlet  in  Virginia.  He  moved  to  New  York  and  prospered. 
He  was  elected  President  of  William  and  Mary,  but  resigned,  owing  to 
an  attempt  to  remove  the  college  to  Richmond,  and  returned  to  New 
York,  where  he  served  as  President  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  259 

I  ought  not  to  allow  this  opportunity  to  pass  without  offering 
you  my  thanks  for  the  Bills  of  Mortality  you  have  kindly  sent  me 
for  several  years,  which  I  assure  you  are  most  invaluable  and  in- 
teresting documents.  I  have  the  pleasure  of  sending  to  you  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Alden  the  first  volume  of  "A  System  of  Anatomy,"  with 
which  I  have  been  for  some  time  engaged,  and  I  shall  be  greatly 
obliged  by  your  observations  on  the  subject,  with  a  view  to  the 
futiire  amendment  and  improvement  of  the  work.  When  the 
other  volume  is  published,  it  will  be  a  great  gratification  to  me  to 
send  it  to  you.  With  best  wishes,  I  am  Truly  and  Respectfully 
Yours,  C.  WiSTAR." 

Dr.  Nathan  Smith  likewise  did  his  part  in  forwarding  the 
removal  to  New  York,  and  after  writing  to  the  following 
effect,  added  a  Testimonial. 

"Hanover,  May  16,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  rec'd  your  favour 
respecting  your  recommendations.  I  will  most  cheerfully  comply 
with  your  request,  but  being  absent  from  home  when  your  letter 
arrived,  I  was  absent  (in  his  haste  Dr.  Smith  forgets  the  connec- 
tion of  thought)  and  have  now  but  a  moment  before  the  mail  goes, 
and  do  not  feel  sufficiently  at  leisure  to  write  all  that  will  be  proper 
and  necessary  for  you,  but  will  forward  it  by  the  next  mail.  .  .  . 
Not  long  since  I  received  a  package  from  London  containing 
among  other  things  a  Letter  from  Dr.  Lettsom,  in  which  he  observed 
you  were  elected  a  Corresponding  Member  of  the  London  Medical 
Society,  with  due  honors.  My  package  was  dated  in  March,  1810, 
was  directed  to  New  York,  but  at  last  came  from  Philadelphia  to 
Boston,  and  then  to  me.  If  you  have  not  received  your  Diploma,^ 
please  to  write  to  me  and  I  will  cause  your  appointment  to  be  pub- 
lished in  the  paper.    Your  Friend,  Nathan  Smith." 

The  Testimonial  arriving  by  the  next  mail  reads  in  this 
way: 

"To  Whom  It  May  Concern: 

This  may  certify  that  the  bearer.  Dr.  Lyman  Spalding,  after 
completing   his   preparatory   studies,    commenced   the   study   of 

Surgeons.  His  quarrels  with  colleagues  created  a  tremendoua  dis- 
turbance in  medical  circles,  the  vilest  epigrams  being  bandied  to  and 
fro  in  the  public  press.  Dr.  Smith  brought  out  an  Edition  of  Bell's 
"Surgery"  and  was  an  able,  but  obstinate  practitioner  of  medicine. 

^  This  diploma  was  finally  received  in  1813  through  the  kindness  of 
Dr.  George  Parkman  (1791-1849)  on  his  way  home  after  receiving  a 
degree  at  Aberdeen.  He  obtained  from  Dr.  Spalding  much  in- 
formation concerning  the  Maniac  Hospital  in  New  York,  and  utilized 
it  for  his  essay,  "Proposals  for  establishing  (in  Massachusetts)  a 
Retreat  for  the  Insane."  Dr.  Parkman  devoted  much  of  his  time  to 
humanitarian  purposes,  and  as  will  be  remembered,  was  murdered  by 
a  fellow  physician. 


260  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

medicine  under  my  instruction  and  continued  with  me  Three  Years; 
during  which  time  he  attended  two  annual  com'ses  of-  Medical 
Lectures  at  Harvard  University,  where  after  examination  he  re- 
ceived a  Medical  Degree.  Dr.  Spalding  was  afterward  appointed 
Lectmer  on  Chemistiy  in  Dartmouth  University,  in  which  situ- 
ation he  officiated  with  honor  to  himself,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of 
those  who  attended  his  lectures.  Since  that  time  Dr.  Spalding 
has  attended  the  Medical  Professors  at  Philadelphia,  where  he  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  the  Science  of  Anatomy,  especially  in  his 
Demonstrations  of  the  Lymphatic  System.  He  has  also  given  two 
courses  of  Anatomical  and  Surgical  Lectures  in  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  Fairfield,  N.  Y.,  with  great  abihty  and 
success.  As  a  practitioner  of  medicine  and  surgery  he  has  long 
sustained  a  proud  rank  in  his  native  State,  having  performed  with 
Skill,  all  the  critical  and  important  operations  in  surgery,  and  re- 
ceived as  the  reward  of  merit  an  Honorary  Degree  of  Doctor  of 
Medicine  at  Dartmouth  College,  and  elected  Honorary  Corre- 
sponding Member  of  the  London  Medical  Society.  From  a  long 
and  intimate  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Spalding,  I  do  most  sin- 
cerely recommend  him  to  the  public  as  a  man  of  distinguished 
merit  in  his  Profession,  and  one  in  whom  they  may  repose  great 
confidence. 

Nathan  Smith,  M.D.  Prof.  Med.  and  Surgery  at  Dartmouth 
College,  October  9,  1812. 

As  summer  drew  on  this  additional  news  from  Dr.  Taft, 
in  North  Carolina,  must  have  been  welcome  to  his  Ports- 
mouth friends. 

"Nixonton,  June  22,  1812.    WAR!    WAR!    WAR! 

My  respected  Friend:  I  answer  yours  with  the  receipt  of  the 
preparations,  and  a  number  of  others  that  I  have  forgotten  to 
acknowledge  before,  perhaps  through  hurry  of  business.  The 
preparations  arrived  in  this  place  2  weeks  since.  They  were  in 
Norfolk  some  time  before  I  could  get  them  brought  here,  the  box 
having  been  opened  and  contents  known  to  the  carters  going  to 
and  from  this  place.  Some  were  removed.  I  was  much  disap- 
pointed in  the  small  subject  as  it  was  an  unhappy  injection,  being 
of  wax.  For  the  situation  of  the  brain  and  its  meninges  it  is  ex- 
cellent, for  the  heart  tolerable,  the  rest  of  not  much  account.  Had 
you  sent  one  in  which  the  branches  of  the  arterial  system  had  been 
happily  injected,  a  tribble  price  would  not  have  been  any  objec- 
tion, for  the  weather  is  too  variable  here  to  make  anything  like  an 
attempt  in  dissection,  summer  or  winter.  For  the  Recipes  and 
for  Dewees'  "Instructions"  I  am  very  thankful,  and  Mrs.  Spald- 
ing's remuneration  for  your  Nocturnal  Quill  Driving,  shall  be  duly 
attended  to,  though  the  distance  is  so  great  that  I  fear  the  sweet 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  261 

Carolinians  ^  will  have  been  decomposed  ere  they  shall  arrive.  I 
shall  send  them  in  the  Fall  season  should  I  live  so  long. 

That  your  patients  should  have  the  good  fortune  to  recover 
their  sight,  and  the  use  of  their  limbs,  gives  me  great  satisfaction, 
but  that  Dr.  Pierrepont  should  desert  his  best  friend  really  aston- 
ishes me.2 

As  you  learn  more  of  the  Fairfield  troubles,  let  me  have  them. 
Dr.  Josiah  Noyes  will  never  answer  as  Professor  to  any  Institution; 
he  will  always  be  a  Disturbance.  I  wish  you  were  in  New  York! 
for  I  find  great  difficulty  in  getting  medicines. 

My  practice  is  more  extensive  than  that  of  any  other  Practitioner 
in  the  County.  Notwithstanding  that  from  November  to  July  is 
the  most  healthy  part  of  the  year,  yet,  I  have,  at  very  moderate 
chargings  booked  Eleven  Hundred  Dollars  in  six  months  from  the 
time  that  I  settled  here.  I  have  been  quite  fortunate  in  my  pa- 
tients; have  had  one  case  of  Necrosis  of  the  radius  and  ulna  dis- 
missed cured,  and  a  number  of  small  operations.  Yesterday  a 
patient  was  iDrought  me  bitten  by  a  venomous  beast  called  the 
mongoose,  a  horrible  creature  indeed.  His  fangs  were  driven  into 
the  baU  of  the  great  toe.  I  took  out  with  a  scalpel  a  large  piece  of 
flesh,  then  applied  the  lunar  caustic,  lustily.  The  foot  having  been 
corded:  it  was  bitten  2^  hours  before  I  saw  him.  I  saw  his  father 
this  morning:  the  symptoms  were  as  favorable  as  could  be  expected. 
My  popularity  here  has  acquired  me  many  enemies  and  back 
biters,  but  many  good  friends.  Do  write  me  soon.  Your  Grate- 
ful Pupil.    C.  Taft." 

Portsmouth  suffered  from  a  considerable  epidemic  of 
Spotted  Fever  in  June  of  this  year,  and  an  "Account,"  of  it 
by  Dr.  Spalding  having  been  sent  to  Dr.  Caldwell  brought 
this  characteristic  reply. 

"Philadelphia,  July  14,  1812.  My  Dear  Sir:  Your  letter  came 
to  hand  by  favor  of  Mr.  Woodward.  I  thank  you  for  the  hint  it 
contained  on  the  subject  of  spotted  fever,  but  would  have  been 
more  gratified  as  well  as  instructed  had  it  gone  more  extensively 
in  detail  into  the  history  of  the  colossal  and  interesting  disease. 
I  have  never  yet,  I  confess,  met  with  such  an  account  of  it  as  was, 
by  any  means,  satisfactory.  I  speak  in  relation,  both  to  the  history 
and  philosophy  and  treatment  of  the  complaint.  Being,  in  our 
country,  somewhat  of  a  new  form  of  disease,  I  feel  not  a  little 
Solicitous  to  become,  although  not  practically,  better  acquainted 

^  "Sweet  Carolinians"  is  probably  a  play  on  the  sweet  potatoes  of 
the  South  and  Miss  Caroline  Coues,  of  whom  we  have  already  heard. 

^  Dr.  Taft  here  goes  into  minute  details  of  bitter  quarrels  between 
the  leading  Portsmouth  Physicians,  which  may  be  omitted  as  they 
show  a  story  on  one  side  only. 


262  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

with  it.  I  believe  it  to  be  nothing  but  a  modification  of  the  same 
complaint  to  which  strangers  are  subject  in  Russia  and  other  cold 
northern  countries,  who  neglect  the  use  of  furs  during  the  winter 
season. 

I  am  decidedly  of  opinion,  that  were  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Northern  State  more  attentive  to  the  character  of  their  winter  ap- 
parel; were  they  to  adapt  it  more  accurately  to  the  temperature  of 
the  weather,  so  as  not  to  allow  themselves  to  suffer  from  the  in- 
tensity of  the  cold,  either  in  their  houses,  or  in  the  open  air;  were 
they,  I  say,  to  pursue  this  course  (and  I  am  sure  notliiag  would  be 
more  easy)  I  am  persuaded  that  Bonapartean  Evil,  the  Spotted 
Fever  would  be  less  frequent  and  less  fatal.  This  disease  is  to 
your  winters,  precisely  what  the  yellow  fever  is  to  our  summers.  In- 
tense heat,  only,  produces  the  latter  and  intense  cold,  the  former. 
The  operations  of  the  extremes  of  these  two  (heat  and  cold)  on  the 
hiunan  system,  is  much  more  assimilated  than  is  commonly  sup- 
posed. In  fact,  it  appears  to  be  almost  the  same.  So  absurd  is 
the  doctrine  settmg  forth  that  the  one  is  a  stimulant,  the  other  a 
sedative!  There  exists,  however,  this  difference,  and  it  is  altogether 
in  your  favor,  that  it  is  much  easier  by  artificial  means  to  protect 
the  body  from  the  cold  of  winter,  than  the  heat  of  siunmer.  Were 
not  this  the  case,  I  think  it  probable,  that  Russia,  Norway,  etc., 
would  be  as  subject  to  the  Spotted,  as  the  West  Indies  are  to  the 
YeUow  Fever. 

You  ask,  what,  medically  speaking,  we  are  doing  in  this  City. 
I  answer:  Nothing!  Nothing,  I  mean,  towards  promotion  of  the 
medical  hterature  of  our  country.  For  at  least  six  months  past,  so 
completely  nauseated  have  I  been  with  the  sycophancy  and  sub- 
ser\iency  of  our  physicians  to  the  dogmas  of  a  certain  character,^ 
whose  name  I  will  not,  because  I  need  not  mention,  that  I  have, 
dm-ing  that  period  abandoned  medical  reading  as  well  as  writing, 
and  amused  myseK  with  pohte  and  classical  literature.^  It  ia 
lilcely,  however,  that  the  winter  will  bring  me  back  to  my  former 
habits.    Yoiu-  Obedient  Servant,  Ch.  Caldwell. 

P.  S.  How  do  you  and  your  neighbors  bear  the  two  greatest 
national  calamities  that  Heaven  could  inflict  on  us  British  hostihties 
and  French  Fraternity!  Are  we  not  cursed  even  beyond  the 
measure  of  our  sinning?  If  not  we  are  deeply  gone  in  iniquity, 
indeed.    C.  C. 

N.  B.  Pray,  what  is  gone  with  our  friend  Clapp?  He  promised 
to  write  to  me,  but  since  he  left  the  City  I  have  neither  heard  from 

1  The  "Certain  Character"  was  good  Dr.  Rush,  whom  Dr.  Caldwell 
detested  for  his  success,  and  for  the  admiration  universally  expressed 
for  him. 

*  Caldwell's  "PoUte  Literature,"  was  a  "Life  of  John  Smith,"  and 
a  "Life  of  Commodore  Barry." 


Oiy^'->^<   A^   >?/  /^/^ 


OFFER  OF  SERVICES  FOR  THE  WAR  OF  1812:— RARE  AUTOGRAPH  OF  DR.  SPALDING 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  263 

him  or  of  him.     In  case  of  your  correspondence  with  him,  make 
known  to  him,  the  miimpaired  state  of  my  Good  Wishes.    C.  C." 

It  may  here  be  said  that  during  the  War  of  1812,  now 
raging.  Dr.  Spalding  offered  to  the  Government  his  services 
as  well  as  those  of  his  pupil,  Dr.  Langdon,  for  duty  at  Fort 
Constitution,  or  for  the  proposed  invasion  of  Canada.  Dr. 
Spalding  also  offered  his  services  to  Governor  Tompkins,  in 
New  York,  in  1814,  but  I  do  not  find  that  either  offer  was 
accepted. 

It  is  pleasant  once  more  to  come  across  the  news  from 
Dr.  Noyes  of  Newbury,  as  exhibited  in  two  brief  notes  ar- 
riving at  this  time. 

"Newburyport,  July  19th,  1812.  Friend  Spalding:  I  had  the 
pleasiu-e  of  receiving  your  letters  and  request  for  Morgagni.  But 
not,  till  it  was  too  late  to  send  the  books  that  day.  They  are  not 
yet  packed,  but  to  morrow  I  intend  to  pack  them  and  send  them. 
It  is  long  since  I  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  from  you,  and  now  the 
pleasure  is  much  alloyed  by  hearing  that  you  suffer  by  the  war. 
Pray,  how  does  Mrs.  Spalding  and  the  little  ones?  Are  they 
frightened?  If  so,  invite  them  to  come  to  Newbmyport,  for  John 
Bull  will  not  ventm-e  over  our  bar,  though  his  friend  Old  Davy  has 
got  Fort  Joseph  fast  in  his  locker.  Besides,  we  have  voted,  that 
"The  seas  are  his  own,"  so  that  he  wiU  have  enough  to  do  to  stay 
and  keep  possession,  unless,  now  and  then  he  may  find  leisure  to 
visit  such  wicked  democratic  open-mouthed  harbours  as  yours. 
But,  for  us  why,  I  tell  you.  Sir,  we  have  our  peace,  beforehand! 
and  our  pious  Governor  has  issued  a  Proclamation  for  us  to  pray 
that  the  whole  State  may  be  hidden  till  the  danger  has  passed! 
What  a  pity  that  your  residence  has  not  been  on  this  side  of  the 
N.  Hampshire  Une!  Then,  might  you  have  had  a  hiding  hole,  too, 
without  disgrace :  or  that  you  should  not  Uke  us  have  coaxed  John 
Bull,  have  stroked  his  dew  lap  or  have  kissed  his  feet.  ...  Be 
kind  to  Morgagni:  shelter  him  from  all  the  horror  and  depredation 
of  war  —  remember,  that  he,  as  well  as  yourself  are  the  old  friends 
of  Yours,  etc.,  N.  Noyes.^" 

1  Dr.  Noyes  is  here  alluding  to  the  British  fleet  lying  threateningly 
off  Portsmouth,  with  its  wide  open  river,  whilst  the  Bar  at  Newbury 
kept  it  at  a  distance.  "Davy  Jones"  is  a  nautical  Myth,  with  a 
"Locker  down  below,"  and  Fort  Joseph  was  an  earthwork,  now  sub- 
merged by  the  ocean.  Caleb  Strong,  the  pious  governor,  opposed  the 
War,  wrote  Proclamations  advising  the  people  to  pray  against  it,  and 
refused  to  call  out  the  MiUtia  for  National  Purposes,  though  willing  to 
use  it  for  home  defense.  Morgagni  (1682-1771)  was  a  famous  ItaUan 
anatomist:  and  a  profound  and  profuse  writer  on  pathology  and  anat- 
omy. 


264  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Dr.  Noyes  continues  in  a  facetious  way  on  August  23. 

"Friend  Spalding,  how  do  you  do?  You  never  were  such  a  sober 
Mill-Horse-ical  kind  of  an  animal  as  myself  who  could  content  my- 
self with  one  crib  and  the  same  cart  all  the  year.  But  you,  you 
must  go  capering  and  kicking  all  about  the  country,  even  to  the 
land  of  the  Mohawks,  while  my  paths  are  so  well  trodden  as  never 
to  puzzle  me  in  the  dark.  Well;  say  you,  and  what  happiness  can 
the  same  duU  routine  afford  you?  Ask  the  mussel  or  the  snail!  ! 
And  if  you  cannot  translate  their  language,  read  once  more  Gold- 
smith's "Village."  I  must  confess  that  my  affection  never  soars 
so  high  as  a  Genius  or  a  Species,  but  must  have  one  individual 
object  on  which  to  fix  and  vegetate. 

Friend  Spalding;  ambition  is  a  meteor-flame,  a  will  o'  the  Wisp, 
that  lures  us  from  happiness,  and  then  plunges  us  headlong  from 
some  precipice  or  sinks  us  in  the  mire. 

Pursue  your  own  propensities  and  I  will  follow  mine.  Hence  it 
will  follow,  that  you  will  come  to  Newburyport  whenever  you  wish 
to  see.  Yours,  Nathan  Noyes." 

Dr.  Noyes  nevertheless  soon  proved  that  he  had  am- 
bition, like  others,  and  was  glad  to  accept,  in  1813,  the 
Professorship  of  Theory  and  Practice  left  vacant  at  Dart- 
mouth by  Dr.  Smith. 

Whilst  looking  about  for  a  purchaser  for  his  practice, 
Dr.  Spalding  must  have  been  pleased  to  get  this  clue  from 
Dr.  Warren. 

"Boston,  Sept.  6,  1812.  My  dear  Sir:  In  coincidence  with  your 
request,  I  mentioned  your  propositions  to  my  friends  here.  The 
only  gentleman  who  has  thought  much  of  the  subject,  is  Dr.  Burge,i 
a  very  promising  and  well  educated  young  man,  but  he  has  not 
funds  at  his  disposal,  and  thinks  of  settling  somewhere  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Amherst.  I  wish  that  you  had  favored  us  with 
some  of  yoiu  communications  for  our  Journal,  not  because  we  were 
deficient  in  matter,  but  wish  for  variety.  The  thing  has  succeeded 
better  than  could  be  expected;  the  whole  impression  of  the  first 
N?  was  sold  and  the  printer  could  have  issued  a  second  edition  if 
he  had  enterprise. 

We  are  anxious  to  discover  whether  the  pubUc  sentiment  is  in 
favour  of  a  careful  selection  of  the  best  European  articles;  reviews, 
etc.,  or  whether  the  work  is  preferable  in  its  present  state.    The 

'  Dr.  Benjamin  Burge  (1782-1816),  a  medical  graduate  of  Harvard, 
acted  first  as  Tutor  at  Bowdoin,  and  received  from  that  College  an 
Honorary  degree  in  1815.  He  then  practiced  briefly  at  Vassalboro', 
Maine,  but  declining  health  drove  him  to  Hollis,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  died  from  tuberculosis. 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  265 

former  plan  would  be  a  great  saving  of  labour.  —  Our  Medical 
School  is  delivered  of  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice,  and  prin- 
cipally by  his  own  exertions,  for,  sure,  never  man  laboured  harder 
to  sink  and  debase  himself.  We  shall  now  have  a  little  comfort, 
whether  we  have  success,  or  not.  The  College  of  Physicians  busi- 
ness is  at  an  end,^  and  its  projectors  in  general  contempt.  The 
plan  never  can  be  revived  by  the  same  men,  vmless  the  State  should 
sink  into  a  worse  Democracy  than  ever. 

The  death  of  Dr.  Miller  in  New  York  induced  me  to  believe  you 
would  accelerate  your  departure  for  N.  Y.,  but  not  hearing  from  you 
I  have  supposed  you  might  relinquish  the  plan.  At  any  rate,  I  shall 
be  glad  to  do  whatever  is  in  my  power.  Should  you  sell  your 
books  and  Preparations  I  should  be  desirous  of  being  informed  of  it. 

Please  to  give  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Spalding,  and  believe  me 
With  Great  Regard,  Your  Friend,  John  C.  Waeren." 

An  interesting  paper  now  at  hand  is  a  Circular  of  the  Col- 
lege of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  New  York,  upon  which 
the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  has  written  a  letter 
which  verifies  the  promise  made  to  Dr.  Spalding  by  Gover- 
nor Clinton,  as  may  be  recalled  from  the  Fairfield  Chapters. 

"September  23,  1812.  Dear  Sir:  When  Dr.  Lerned  was  here, 
he  showed  me  a  letter  from  you  in  which  mention  was  made  of 
your  intention  to  move  to  this  place:  This  I  had  before  supposed 
from  the  circumstance  of  your  being  appointed  a  Trustee  of  our 
College.  As  this  is  the  case  and  you  probably  take  an  interest  in 
the  success  of  our  Institution,  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  sending 
you  one  of  our  Circulars,  and  enclosing  one  to  Dr.  Lerned,  not 
knowing  his  address.    Yours  with  Due  Respect,  J.  Aug.  Smith." 

This  circular  outlines  the  approaching  session,  and  names 
as  lecturers.  Dr.  De  Witt,  Smith,  Hosack,  Mac  Neven,  and 
Mitchill. 

A  brief  note  from  Mr.  Bill  Barnes,  here,  throws  a  little 
light  on  family  history. 

"Claremont,  Sept.  24,  1812.  Sir:  I  am  favored  with  an  oppor- 
tunity at  this  time  to  write  to  you  by  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Ballou,^  and 
have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  I  and  my  family  are  all  in 
health,  and  that  your  Father  and  Maam  were  at  our  house  within 

^  "The  College  of  Physicians"  in  Boston  was  for  a  while  a  threaten- 
ing rival  to  the  Harvard  Medical  School. 

2  "Mr.  Ballou":  Rev.  Hoseal  Ballou  a  celebrated  preacher  first  in 
the  Baptist  and  afterwards  in  the  Universalist  Denomination.  For 
many  years  he  preached  daily,  all  over  New  England,  and  was  at  this 
date  on  his  way  to  Portsmouth  where  he  settled  permanently.  He 
lived  until  1852,  active  to  the  last  day  of  his  82d  year. 


266  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

a  few  days,  and  Sanford  ^  came  to  day.  So  that  I  think  your  rela- 
tions and  friends  about  us  are  all  well.  I  hope  these  lines  will  find 
you  and  your  family  all  in  good  health,  and  prosperity.  Your 
sister,  and  Eunice  in  particular  wish  to  be  remembered.  Your 
sister  says  she  is  fixing  a  square  of  flannel  which  your  children  are 
to  have  part  of,  if  by  your  means  or  ours  we  can  get  the  flannel  to 
them.    With  respects  your  sincere  friend,  Bill  Baknes." 

When  it  became  definitely  known  that  Dr.  Spalding  was 
leaving  Portsmouth,  his  friends  came  forward  with  many 
testimonials,  one  of  them  taking  the  form  suggested  by 
Dr.  Bartlett  of  Stratham: 

"My  Dear  Sir:  Being  absent  when  your  billet  was  left  at  my 
former  dweUing,  I  did  not  see  it  till  the  Monday  following.  Being 
on  that  day  at  Exeter,  Gen'l  Peabody  suggested  the  propriety  of  a 
number  of  Medical  Gentlemen  uniting  in  presenting  you  our  testi- 
monial of  respect  for  your  talents  and  industry  in  the  Profession, 
and  regrets  for  your  proposed  removal  from  our  vicinity,  which 
suggestion  met  with  my  cordial  approbation. 

Not  at  this  time  recoUectmg  any  who  resided  in  or  near  to  the 
City  of  New  York,  to  whom  you  are  not  known,  yet  perhaps  a  letter 
to  you  which  may  (as  you  shall  find  occasion)  be  shown  to  any  who 
may  be  acquainted  with  me,  either  personally  or  by  reputation, 
might  be  of  some  use;  therefore  I  take  the  liberty  to  write  you, 
accordingly.    Yours  with  Respect.    Josiah  Bartlett." 

The  testimonial  presents  the  departing  physician  in  a 
flattering  light  as  a  leader  in  Medicine  and  is  signed  by: 

Ammi  H.  Cutter,  James  H.  Pierrepont,  Josiah  Dwight, 
Joshua  Brackett,  Joseph  Tilton,^  Josiah  Bartlett,  Joseph  Good- 
hue, Nath'l  Peabody,^  Sam'l  Tenney,"  and  WiUiam  Cutter. 

1  "Sanford"  was  Dr.  Spalding's  nephew,  and  "Eunice"  Mr.  Barnes' 
sister. 

2  Dr.  Joseph  Tilton  (1744-1838)  of  Exeter  served  as  surgeon  during 
the  Revolution  and  practiced  over  sixty  years  in  Exeter. 

3  "General"  Peabody  (1741-1823)  of  Exeter,  also,  "the  only  phy- 
sician who  ever  practiced  from  a  County  Jail  as  his  Residence  and 
Office,"  studied  medicine  with  his  Father  at  Plaistead,  New  Hampshire, 
and  began  practice  when  he  was  but  18  years  of  age.  During  the 
Revolution  he  served  as  Adjutant  General  of  New  Hampshire,  from 
which  office  his  title  originated  and  clung  to  him  for  life.  He  was  very 
capable,  but  extravagant  in  his  mode  of  life,  contracted  debts  which  he 
could  not  or  would  not  pay,  and  was  thrown  into  jail  by  his  creditors; 
living  there  for  years.  He  was,  however,  permitted  to  see  his  patients, 
there,  or  at  their  homes,  at  certain  hours  daily.  He  was  a  charming 
man  of  great  promise  hut  small  fulfilment. 

*  Samuel  Tenney  (1748-181G),  an  original  founder  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Medical  Society,  a  Harvard  Graduate  of  1772  and  a  surgeon  in 


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f'T^y^n^ 


COMMENDATORY   LETTER  TO   DR.   SPALDING   FROM    HIS   PORTSMOUTH,   STRATHAM 
AND   EXETER   MEDICAL   FRIENDS 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  267 

Provided  with  these  and  many  other  letters  of  intro- 
duction, Dr.  Spalding  went  on  to  Fairfield,  in  November, 
1812,  and  after  the  close  of  his  lectures  in  January,  1813, 
settled  in  New  York.  He  soon  obtained  a  living  practice, 
was  elected  a  member,  censor,  and  Secretary  of  the  New 
York  County  Medical  Society;  as  well  as  member  of  the 
State  Medical  Society  and  corresponding  Secretary  of  the 
New  York  Historical  Society,  in  which  position  he  recom- 
mended Honorary  Membership  for  many  of  his  friends  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.^ 

Soon  after  taking  up  his  residence  in  New  York,  Dr.  Spald- 
ing received  an  introductory  letter  from  Dr.  Caldwell  to  Mr. 
Bunner,  a  New  York  merchant,  and  as  giving  some  idea  of 
Caldwell's  style  it  is  worth  placing  here. 

"Philadelphia,  March  1st,  1813.  Dear  Sir:  In  compliance  with 
your  request  I  take  pleasure  in  transmitting  you  the  enclosed 
letter.  Mr.  Bunner  will  be  prepared  to  receive  you  by  a  letter 
I  have  addressed  to  him  bearing  date  contemporaneous  with 
the  present.  He  will  avail  himseK  of  opportunities  to  make 
you  known  to  a  circle  of  acquaintances  and  friends  from  whom 
I  flatter  myself  you  may  ultimately  derive  advantages  more  solid 
than  mere  civil  speeches  and  empty  professions.  In  my  letter 
to  him,  respecting  you,  I  have  said  many  things  which  I  could 
not  have  expressed  in  a  note  to  be  delivered  by  yourself.  To 
all  my  literary  and  professional  friends  in  New  York,  I  believe 
you  are  already  known.  On  the  present  subject,  therefore,  my 
business  will  be  completed,  when  I  shall  have  added,  which  I  do 
with  perfect  sincerity,  my  wishes  for  your  success  and  happiness 
in  hfe.    Ch.  Caldwell." 

the  Revolution,  settled  finally  in  Exeter,  New  Hampshire  but  did  not 
practice  any  more.  He  served  as  Member  of  Congress  and  Judge  of 
Probate,  for  several  years,  but  devoted  his  energies  chiefly  for  Tem- 
perance, and  literature.  His  most  noted  paper  was  "An  Account  of 
the  Dark  Day,"  of  May  19,  1780,  when  in  the  midst  of  unclouded  sun- 
shine and  without  any  eclipse  of  the  sim,  the  air  darkened  as  if  at 
midnight,  the  planets  came  into  view,  and  animals,  birds,  beasts  and 
humanity,  expected  this  to  be  the  End  of  the  World. 

^  The  most  beloved  of  these  was  Horace  Binney  (1780-1875)  who 
was  graduated  at  Harvard  in  the  same  year  in  which  Dr.  Spalding 
obtained  his  degree  and  like  whom  he  wished  to  study  medicine.  His 
mother,  however,  had  married,  for  a  second  husband,  Dr.  Marshall 
Spring  of  Watertown,  who  dissuaded  Binney  from  medicine.  The  re- 
sult of  this  decision  was  to  throw  him  into  the  law,  in  which  he  became 
a  shioirig  light  at  the  Pennsylvania,  and  American  Bar. 


268  DB.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Dr.  John  Redman  Coxe  also  sent  on  an  introductory- 
letter  to  John  Stevens  (1749-1838),  who  lived  at  Hoboken, 
and  used  to  come  over  to  the  City  in  his  self -invented  boat, 
first  propelled  by  horse-  and  then  by  steam-power  and 
finally  by  the  screw  propeller  which  Mr.  Stevens  discovered. 
He  first  suggested  the  use  of  submarine  armor  for  war  ves- 
sels and  was  also  the  first  to  take  a  Steamboat  outside  of 
Sandy  Hook  on  an  ocean  voyage  to  the  Delaware  River. 
Dr.  Spalding  and  his  family  often  visited  Mr.  Stevens  at  his 
elegant  house  at  Hoboken. 

Perhaps  the  most  important  of  all  the  letters  which 
Dr.  Spalding  carried  was  one  from  "Sir  John"  Wentworth, 
to  Hon.  John  Jay  of  New  York,  and  Dr.  Spalding's  auto- 
graph account  of  its  destination  is  worth  inserting  at  this 
place. 

"New  York,  March  10,  1813.  Dear  Sir  John:  Gov.  Jay  ^  living 
50  miles  from  town  and  being  much  mdisposed  this  winter,  by  the 
advice  of  friends,  I  called  on  his  son,  Peter  A.  Jay,  Esq.,^  who  lives 
in  town,  and  was  introduced  to  him.  I  gave  him  your  letters  Sir, 
with  assurances  that  I  would  visit  his  Father  as  soon  as  he  should 
have  recovered  from  his  present  indisposition.  Mr.  Jay  was  kind 
enough  to  say  that  he  would  carry  me  with  him,  the  first  time  he 
should  visit  his  Father.  Mr.  Jay  is  a  very  influential  man,  and  has 
already  sho-v\Ti  me  much  attention.  I  feel  myself  much  obhged  by 
the  very  handsome  manner  in  which  you  spoke  of  me,  and  I  hope, 
Sir,  that  I  have  not  trespassed  the  rule  of  etiquette,  in  deUvering 
the  Father's  letter,  to  the  son. 

With  best  respects  for  Mrs.  Wentworth,  I  have  the  honor  to  be 
yours,  L.  Spalding." 

Another  letter  forthcoming  at  this  time  shows  Dr.  Spald- 
ing thoughtful  in  inviting  one  of  his  old  friends  now  in 
Washington,  to  make  him  a  visit  in  passing  through  New 
York  on  his  way  home. 

1  Hon.  John  Jay  (1745-1829),  a  kind  friend  to  Dr.  Spalding,  was  a 
Great  American.  He  served  America  well;  in  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, as  Minister  to  Spain  and  to  France;  as  Governor  and  Chief 
Justice  of  New  York. 

2  Peter  Augustus  Jay  (1776-1843),  his  illustrious  son,  was  private 
secretary  to  his  Father  when  Ambassador  in  Europe,  received  many 
honorary  collegiate  degrees  in  his  long  official  career,  was  noted  as  a 
lawyer,  and  officiated  as  Recorder  of  the  City  of  New  York  and  served 
on  the  Board  of  Health  for  many  years. 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  269 

Mr.  John  A.  Harper  thus  declines  the  invitation -.i 

"Washington,  Feb.  21,  1813.  Dear  Sir:  I  had  the  honor  yester- 
day to  receive  your  letter  which  contained  your  card  and  a  pohte 
invitation  to  visit  you  upon  my  return  to  New  Hampshire.  Should 
I  make  any  tarry  in  New  York,  I  would  not  excuse  myself  were  I 
to  neglect  so  friendly  an  invitation.  But,  apprehend  that  the 
anxiety  to  see  my  family  from  which  I  have  been  so  long  absent  will 
deprive  me  of  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a  friend  whom  I  have  for  a 
long  time  held  in  high  estimation.  The  citizens  of  my  native  State 
will  regret  the  loss  which  they  sustain  by  your  removal.  In  common 
with  them,  I  join  in  affections  and  best  wishes  for  yoiu-  future 
prosperity  and  happiness. 

With  High  Respect  and  Esteem,  Your  Sincere  Friend,  John  A. 
Harper." 

Nor  did  Dr.  Spalding  fail  to  inform  Dr.  Smith  of  his 
settling  in  New  York,  writing  to  him  at  Yale  where  he 
had  estabUshed  a  Medical  School  and  from  which  place 
he  now  writes  concerning  medical  license,  hemorrhage  and 
nosology. 

"New  Haven,  Undated  but  Postmarked  March  7,  1813.  Dear 
Sir:  Respecting  the  law  of  this  State  you  wish  to  see,  I  have  sent 
you  a  copy  of  the  laws  of  the  State  which  goes  to  estabhshing  the 
Medical  Institution,  and  the  laws  made  by  the  Hon'ble  Board  of 
Trust,  intended  to  be  in  force  one  year.  You  wih  perceive  that  the 
laws  of  the  State  in  the  copy  which  I  send  you,  refers  to  a  previous 
law  respecting  hcensing  Physicians.  The  amount  of  that  law,  is 
that  no  person  who  shall  enter  the  profession  after  it  was  enacted 
shall  have  the  privilege  of  law  to  coUect  debts  which  accrue  for  his 
medical  services. 

Respecting  the  case  of  hemorrhage  to  which  you  refer,  it  hap- 
pened in  a  child  or  boy  about  six  years  of  age  and  came  on  without 
any  previous  sickness.  The  first  appearances  of  the  disease  were 
small  spots  on  the  skin  of  a  hvid  colour,  and  were  reaUy  extrav- 
asated  blood.  His  gums  were  affected  in  the  same  maimer  and  a 
slight  scratch  on  his  foot  produced  a  considerable  ecchymosis. 
And,  he  had  bled  from  the  nose  a  httle,  before  I  saw  him,  but  was 
otherways  weU  and  following  his  usual  play  out  of  doors.    I  gave 

^  John  Adams  Harper  (1779-1816)  was  Post  Master  in  his  native 
village  of  Meredith  Bridge,  New  Hampshire,  before  he  came  of  age, 
made  rapid  progress  in  law  and  pohtics,  and  whilst  in  Congress  de- 
livered two  important  speeches  on  "War  Supphes,"  and  the  "Yazoo" 
(Georgia)  "Claims."  Failing  health  put  a  rapid  end  to  a  most  promis- 
ing career. 


270  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

bark  and  elix  Vitriol.  The  next  day  the  bleeding  came  on  and  con- 
tinued till  I  checked  it  with  a  dose  of  opium.  I  then  continued 
the  Bark  and  in  lieu  of  the  Vitriol  gave  alum.  The  next  day  he 
bled  again  from  the  nose  till  I  was  called.  The  third  time  I  checked 
it  again  with  opium.  I  still  continued  to  give  bark  and  astringents, 
but  the  bleeding  came  on  the  next  day  and  continued  to  bleed  till  I 
called,  accidentally  (as  the  family  considered  him  so  far  gone  that 
they  did  not  send  for  me).  I  checked  it  the  third  time  with  opium, 
and  then  continued  to  give  him  two  full  courses  of  opium  every 
24  hours  till  he  had  recovered.  He  took  some  tonic  medicines, 
but  I  considered  the  Opium  as  having  the  principal  effect  on  the 
diseases. 

As  for  your  plan  of  nosological  arrangement,  I  have  mislaid  your 
letter  on  that  subject,  but  if  I  recollect  rightly  it  was  to  take  up  the 
subject  alphabetically.  That  would  make  the  arrangement  like  the 
arrangement  in  a  Dictionary,  if  I  comprehend  it.  I  have  not  given 
the  subject  such  attention  as  to  enable  me  to  decide  positively  on  it. 
But,  I  had  a  thought  to  arrange  diseases  according  to  the  part 
of  the  body  in  which  they  were  seated,  or  in  such  order  that  those 
in  the  same  class,  should  have  some  points  of  similarity  between 
them.  But  I  recollect  that  when  I  read  your  letter,  a  whimsical 
idea  came  into  my  head  which  was,  that  if  we  arranged  the  diseases 
alphabetically,  we  might  arrange  the  Materia  Medica  in  the  same 
order,  taking  the  two  columns;  place  all  the  names  of  disease  be- 
ginning with  "A"  on  one  side,  and  for  their  remedies,  all  medicines 
beginning  with  the  same  letter  on  the  other. 

Thus:  Cancer  Cut  out. 

Hydrophobia  Hydrargyrum. 

But  this  is  all  Stuff.  I  do  not  pretend  to  condemn  the  plan  till 
I  have  it  more  fully  explained.  Perhaps  there  may  be  reasons  for 
it  and  advantages  that  have  not  yet  occurred  to  me. 

I  will,  when  I  go  to  Portsmouth,  attend  to  your  patient  accord- 
ing to  your  request.  I  have  had  considerable  operative  business 
since  I  came  to  New  Haven,  and  have  agreed  to  perform  another 
operation  for  the  artificial  joint  in  the  thigh,  about  the  first  of  April 
next.  I  think  my  former  experience  in  that  case  will  help  me  in 
this.  I  shall  create  a  new  apparatus  to  secure  the  limb  after  the 
operation,  such  an  one  as  has  never  been  seen  before.  I  am  with 
sentiments  of  Great  Esteem,  Yours,  Nathan  Smith." 

A  letter  of  the  same  date  from  Professor  Silliman  of  Yale 
mentions  his  Chemical  Course  as  lasting  from  October  to 
June  at  a  fee  of  $16,  and  another  on  Mineralogy  of  less  dura- 
tion with  a  fee  of  $6.  It  would  seem  as  if  Dr.  Spalding  had 
inquired  concerning  these  fees  with  a  view  to  establishing 
similar  courses  and  prices  at  Fairfield. 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  271 

During  his  leisure  hours  in  New  York,  Dr.  Spalding 
translated  some  of  the  "Experiments"  of  Le  Gallois/  and 
offered  them  to  Dr.  Warren  for  his  journal.  In  replying  to 
the  offer  Dr.  Warren  writes  in  March,  1813: 

"Dear  Sir:  I  acknowledge  with  pleasure  the  receipt  of  youi' 
very  friendly  letter,  and  am  gratified  mth  your  situation  and  agree- 
able prospects.  The  offer  of  Le  Gallois'  "Experiments"  I  thank 
you  for,  and  should  be  higlily  pleased  to  possess  that  part  you  have 
translated,  provided  it  be  more  particular  than  what  is  inserted  in 
page  203  of  Vol.  1  of  our  JOURNAL.  If  you  will  examine  that, 
and  having  determined  the  point,  send  me  the  translation  if  you  so 
conclude,  I  shall  feel  obliged,  as  I  have  felt  much  interest  to  see  his 
experiments  more  at  large  than  in  the  Report  of  the  Institute.  I 
am  with  great  Esteem  your  friend,  J.  C.  Warren. 

P.  S.  We  made  a  fine  absorbent  preparation  this  Avinter,  and 
having  got  into  the  way  of  doing  it,  shall  make  more  soon." 

The  medical  world  was  startled  in  the  Autumn  of  1813 
by  the  rumor  that  Dr.  Caspar  Wistar  had  resigned  the  Chair 
of  Anatomy,  at  Philadelphia,  and  Dr.  Spalding,  beheving 
the  report  to  be  true,  immediately  offered  to  Dr.  Dorsey, 
dean  of  the  Faculty,  his  services  during  the  vacancy  and 
until  a  successor  should  be  chosen.  His  hopes  were,  how- 
ever, disappointed  on  hearing  to  this  effect  from  his  cor- 
respondent. 

"Philadelphia,  Oct.  21,  1813.  Dear  Sir:  The  report  concerning 
Dr.  Wistar  is  entirely  without  foundation,  and  to  counteract  the 
tendency  of  such  a  story  to  spread,  I  have  directed  a  pubhcation  in 
two  of  your  papers.  Dr.  Wistar  has  returned  from  his  country- 
seat  to  the  City,  in  perfect  health.  At  least,  he  is  fully  as  well  as  I 
have  ever  known  him  to  be.  He  had  some  symptoms  in  the  Spring, 
indicative  of  Pneumothorax,  but  they  have  now  subsided  com- 
pletely.   Yours  with  Esteem,  J.  W.  Dorset." 

When  Dr.  Spalding  learned  from  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  that 
he  was  on  his  way  to  Hanover,  he  asked  him  to  call  at 
Cornish  and  see  Colonel  Spalding,  and  inquire  concerning 

1  Julien  Jean  Caesar  Le  Gallois  (1770-1814)  was  a  noted  French 
Physiologist  who  was  proscribed  during  the  Revolution,  but  came  off 
with  his  life.  His  appointment  to  the  Bicetre  in  Paris  brought  him 
much  fame,  and  his  "  Experiments  on  the  Principle  of  Life "  were 
considered  the  most  remarkable  ever  made  by  a  Frenchman.  Poor 
fellow,  owing  to  domestic  troubles  he  committed  suicide  by  dividing 
the  crural  artery. 


272  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

his  health.  To  this  Dr.  Smith  attended,  and  on  reaching 
New  Haven  wrote  to  this  effect  to  Dr.  Spalding,  then  in 
Fairfield. 

"New  Haven,  Nov.  16,  1813.  Dear  Sir:  On  my  way  to  New 
Haven  I  called  to  see  your  Father  and  read  your  letter  to  him. 
His  disease  was  not  what  you  supposed  it  to  be.  It  was  not  the 
Diabetes,  but  incontinence,  depending  on  a  disease  of  the  kidneys. 
I  am  now  in  New  Haven  and  have  commenced  my  surgical  courses 
in  the  New  Medical  Institution.  We  have  about  forty  pupils.  .  .  . 
Last  Smnmer,  you  wrote  me  an  account  of  a  man  in  New  York  who 
made  anatomical  preparations,  particularly  of  the  Eye  and  Ear. 
I  wish  you  would,  on  the  receipt  of  this,  write  me  and  give  me 
directions,  so  that  I  may  be  able  to  find  hun.  The  Faculty  of  Yale 
College  have  requested  me  to  obtain  this  information,  as  it  is  pro- 
posed to  apply  to  him  for  some  of  his  preparations.  ...  I  conclude 
from  your  proximity  to  the  seat  of  War  operations,  that  you  may 
be  able  to  give  us  some  account  of  what  has  become  of  our  Army, 
which  seems  to  be  lost  in  the  Canada  Woods,  as  we  have  not  been 
able  to  hear  a  syllable  from  them  for  many  weeks.  I  am,  with  un- 
abated good  wishes  for  yom  Prosperity,  Your  Friend  and  Servant 
Nathan  Smith." 

We  have  now  reached  the  year  1814,  which  may  be  opened 
with  a  note  from  Dr.  Bigelow. 

"Boston,  Feb.  13, 1814.  Dear  Sir:  If  your  City  affords  any  kine 
pock  matter  at  the  present  moment,  you  will  greatly  oblige  me  by 
enclosmg  some  to  me,  by  mail,  as  it  seems  at  present  to  be  asleep 
here.  We  have  no  medical  news.  You  seem  to  be  destined  at  New 
York  to  become  the  rivals  of  Philad'a,  provided  your  forces  should 
ever  be  permanently  united.  Have  you  any  new  coalitions  on  foot? 
any  medical  discoveries  or  improvements?  Or  any  new  pubhca- 
tions  coming  up  or  old  ones  dying? 

I  have  been  trying  my  hand  at  Botany,  the  last  year.  It  was  a 
ground  unoccupied  by  physicians,  and  to  me,  affords  a  pleasant 
pursuit.    I  remain  your  Friend,  etc.,  Jacob  Bigelow." 

Amongst  his  Portsmouth  friends,  no  one  was  dearer  to 
Dr.  Spalding  than  Jeremiah  Mason  (1766-1848),  who  was 
graduated  at  Yale  and  first  practiced  at  Walpole.  He  then 
moved  to  Portsmouth,  where  he  and  Webster  dominated 
the  Bar  for  years.  Mason  was  regarded  as  next  to  Chief 
Justice  Marshall  in  his  knowledge  of  the  Law.  He  was  at 
this  time  in  Washington,  and  Dr.  Spalding  knowing  his 


LAST  YEAR  IN  PORTSMOUTH  273 

fondness  for  pictures  invited  him  to  stop  in  New  York  on 
his  way  home  and  inspect  Delaplaine's  Gallery.^ 
Judge  Mason  replied  in  part: 

"Dear  Sir:  On  my  return  home  I  intend  to  spend  some  days 
m  New  York  and  I  will  then  surely  see,  with  you,  the  paintings  of 
which  you  so  kindly  enclose  a  catalogue.  I  should  also  like  to  be  a 
purchaser  of  some  of  them,  if  not  already  sold,  and  if  the  prices  are 
not  beyond  the  reach  of  my  finances.  I  am  Dear  Sir,  Truly  Yours, 
J.  Mason." 

One  of  Dr.  Spalding's  best  friends,  first  in  Philadelphia 
and  later  in  New  York  was  the  Rev.  James  Milnor  (1773- 
1845),  Rector  of  St.  George's  in  Beekman  Street,  near  Dr. 
Spalding's  home.  He  was  born  a  Quaker,  but  left  hLs  sect, 
studied  law  and  became  an  active  Pennsylvanian  politician. 
As  a  member  of  Congress  he  opposed  the  War  of  1812,  made 
many  speeches  against  it,  and  in  one  of  them  so  bitterly 
offended  Henry  Clay  that  a  duel  was  imminent  for  a  while. 
Mr.  Milnor  was  a  society  favorite,  and  was  dining  with 
President  Madison  when  Lieutenant  Morris  burst  into  the 
room  with  the  captured  flags  of  a  British  Frigate.  Mr. 
Milnor  finally  retired  from  politics,  entered  the  Episcopal 
Ministry  and  officiated  first  in  Philadelphia  and  then  in 
New  York,  where  he  became  the  friend  and  patient  of  Dr. 
Spalding.  I  find  from  his  pen  two  brief  notes  in  one  of 
which  he  mentions  the  death  of  an  old  acquaintance,  and  in 
the  other  makes  a  Present. 

"Philadelphia,  March  16,  1814.  Dear  Sir:  Previous  to  the  im- 
fortunate  death  of  Rev.  Mr.  George  Richards,  several  of  us  exerted 
ourselves  to  reheve  those  necessities,  which,  as  well  as  mental  un- 
easiness, combined  to  sink  him  into  a  despondency  that  resulted  as 
I  presume  you  know  in  suicide.  Immediately  after  that  event 
farther  measures  were  taken  for  supplying  the  immediate  needs  of 
the  family  and  a  liberal  contribution  for  the  same  purpose  is  now 
going  on  in  the  different  Lodges  of  the  City,  under  such  auspices  as 
to  promise  a  sum  sufficient  for  present  objects  as  well  as  to  carry 
them  back  to  Portsmouth,  where  it  is  their  intention  to  go  in  two 
or  tlu-ee  months,  as  I  understand  from  this  time.  I  am,  Dear  Sir, 
your  Obedient  Servant,  James  Milnor." 

1  Joseph  Delaplaine  (1774-1824),  of  English  descent,  was  first  a 
bookseller  in  Philadelphia  and  later  a  collector  of  paintings  by  Sully 
and  Benjamin  West.  He  edited  "Lives  and  Portraits  of  Distinguished 
Americans,"  invited  Dr.  Spalding  to  insert  within  it  his  portrait, 
which  was  finally  painted  in  miniature  by  Rembrandt  Peele,  and  a 
copy  of  which  forms  a  frontispiece  to  this  LIFE. 


274  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

The  other  note,  undated,  from  "St.  George's  Rectory," 
says: 

"My  Dear  Doctor:  I  regret  on  examination  of  my  resources, 
together  with  future  demands  upon  them,  that  I  cannot,  now,  make 
it  convenient  to  accommodate  you  with  the  proposed  loan,  but  I 
beg  of  you  to  do  me  the  great  favor  of  accepting  the  enclosed  sum 
as  a  small  acknowledgement  for  your  very  kind  medical  attentions 
to  me  and  to  my  family.    Your  Obedient  Servant,  James  Milnor." 

With  these  letters  Dr.  Spalding's  first  year  as  a  bachelor 
in  New  York  ended  and  he  now  made  plans  to  bring  on  his 
family  from  Portsmouth. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Four  Years  in  New  York  Previous  to  the  Proposal  for  Estab- 
lishing A  National  Pharmacopceia.     The  Barber 
Family.    "The  Institutes  of  Medicine." 

Finishing  his  Fifth  Course  at  Fairfield  in  January,  1814, 
Dr.  Spalding  as  we  have  seen  went  to  Portsmouth  to  com- 
plete arrangements  for  removing  his  family  to  New  York. 
As  it  seemed  dangerous  to  go  by  water,  owing  to  the  British 
cruising  along  the  coast,  an  overland  journey  by  way  of 
Cornish  was  planned.  He  then  returned  alone  to  New 
York  by  way  of  Albany  where  he  met  Capt.  Jedediah  Rogers 
with  whose  "Aunt  Sally"  he  had  been  boarding  in  New 
York.  Soon  after  his  arrival  there,  Capt.  Rogers  wrote  this 
letter. 

"Albany,  March  30, 1814.  Dear  Sir:  Your  trunk,  and  small  box 
together  with  letter  containing  $10  and  three  Notes,  1  rec'd  (from 
Fairfield)  the  next  morning  after  you  left  Mr.  Cundy's.  1  have 
collected  $37  50/100  on  them.  I  shall  be  in  N.  Y.,  next  week,  and 
will  pay  it  over  to  you.  I  know  of  no  friend  going  down  this  morning, 
or  would  enclose  it  to  you.  We  are  not  in  the  habit  of  hazarding 
our  own  money  in  the  letter  box.  If,  however,  in  the  next  Boat 
any  person  is  going  I  will  send  it  to  you.  I  send  you  the  trunk  and 
box  by  this  morning's  Boat  "The  Paragon."  —  I  have  made  in- 
quiries relative  to  the  Stage,  agreeable  to  your  requests.  The  Stage 
leaves  Brattleborough  every  Saturday  and  arrives  in  this  City  on 
Sunday  and  puts  up  at  Mr.  Cundy's  Hotel.  If  Mrs.  Spalding 
should  come  this  way,  we  should  be  very  happy  to  have  her  stay 
with  us,  until  she  should  be  disposed  to  leave.  There  will  be  no 
Steam  Boat  until  Tuesday  following  her  arrival  in  this  City.  If 
she  comes  this  way,  Mr.  Cundy  wiU  give  direction  where  we  may 
be  found,  and  I  assure  you,  I  will  endeavor  to  render  her  as  com- 
fortable as  possible  while  here.  Be  so  good  as  to  give  our  most 
affectionate  respects  to  Aunt  Sally  and  Family.  Your  Ob'd't 
Serv't.,  Jed.  Rogers." 

Two  weeks  later  Dr.  Spalding  wrote  a  long  letter  to  his 
wife  then  in  Claremont,  New  Hampshire,  visiting  the  family 
of  Mr.  Bill  Barnes.  Part  of  this  letter  is  sentimental  and 
omissible,  the  rest  reads  to  this  effect. 

275 


276  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"New  York,  April  18,  1814.  My  dear  Wife:  Mr.  Rogers  haa 
been  in  town  with  his  wife's  half  sister.  Miss  Reed.  I  was  very  at- 
tentive to  her  for  two  reasons:  that  she  might  repay  it  to  you  in 
Albany  and  because  she  is  a  fine  unaffected  gu'l.  Mr.  R.  says  they 
shall  insist  on  your  staying  with  them,  and  that  mth  pleasure  he 
will  get  up  a  party  to  the  Cohoes  Falls.  Desire  him  also  to  intro- 
duce you  to  some  passengers  on  board  the  Boat  who  are  acquainted 
vnth.  the  beauties  of  the  picturesque  scenery  which  abounds  on  the 
Hudson,  and  who  wHl  point  them  out  to  you. 

I  think  I  have  been  the  means  of  $100  being  collected  in  the  Uni- 
versalist  Parish  in  this  town  for  Mr.  Richard's  children  as  also  a 
farther  sum  in  the  Lodges.  I  shall  take  possession  of  our  house 
the  27th,  but  shall  board  and  lodge  at  the  Washington  Hall  till  the 
4th  of  May  when  I  shall  expect  to  see  you.  I  shall  endeavor  to  be 
on  the  wharf  when  the  boat  arrives  but  if  anything  should  prevent, 
give  your  baggage  to  a  porter  and  walk  to  8  Fair  Street.  If  anything 
should  prevent  your  leaving  Claremont  on  the  29th,  you  will  write 
to  me,  immediately.  You  wiH  not  forget,  that  at  Brattleboro',  on 
Sunday  Morning,  you  will  take  the  Albany  stage.  Before  you 
take  leave  of  my  aged  Father  see  that  he  is  supplied  with  those 
little  stores  which  I  have  already  named  to  you.  Commend  me 
to  him:  he  always  has  an  interest  in  my  prayers,  and  bid  Mm  for  me 
a  final  last  Adieu!  If  convenient,  let  the  children  see  him.  I  am 
Yoiu-s,  L.  Spalding." 

A  few  days  later  Colonel  Spalding  died;  and  the  family 
started  off  on  their  way  to  New  York,  arriving  early  in  May, 
and  establishing  themselves  in  N2  8  Fair  Steet. 

The  arrival  of  a  letter  from  Dr.  Bigelow  in  February  seems 
to  have  excited  a  study  of  Botany  by  Dr.  Spalding,  and 
happening  to  discover  some  unknown  seeds,  he  wrote  to  in- 
quire their  species.  Failing  an  answer  from  Dr.  Bigelow,  he 
wrote  to  Professor  Peck,  who  soon  satisfied  his  inquiries. 

"Cambridge,  22  April,  1814.  Dear  Sir:  I  am  sorry  that  Dr, 
Bigelow  has  not  communicated  your  note  to  me,  as  it  would  have 
shortened  by  two  months,  your  state  of  uncertainty  respecting  the 
article  you  kindly  enclosed  to  me.  The  fruit  of  the  Camphor  Tree 
is  a  one  celled  berry  and  contains  a  single  seed  which  has  TWO 
lobes.  The  fruit  of  the  Sassafras,  which  is  of  the  same  family 
(Laurus)  will  give  you  a  correct  notion  of  that  of  the  Camphor 
Tree.  Your  inclosure  is  a  capsule  divided  internally  into  three 
cells  by  delicate  membranous  partitions,  but  NOT  opening  with 
3  valves  and  is  what  Botanists  call  Capsula  Coriacea;  The  seeds; 
numerous,  crowded  in  each  cell;  and  angular  from  mutual  pressure; 
and  have  but  one  lobe.    It  is  the  capsule  of  Amomum,  and  is  the 


FOUR  YEARS  IN  NEW  YORK  277 

true  Cardamomum  Minus,  of  the  Apothecaries:  tho'  what  are 
found  in  some  shops  by  this  name  are  of  a  very  slender  form  and 
may  be  a  variety,  or  even  another  Species  of  the  same  genus. 
Whoever  first  pronounced  this,  the  fruit  of  the  Camphor  Tree, 
might  not  intend  a  fraud,  but  he  was  egregiously  mistaken.  Still, 
as  the  seeds  appear  sound,  they  shall  be  planted,  and  I  may  be 
gratified  to  have  a  few  plants  of  this  beautiful  and  aromatic  genus 
to  remind  me  of  your  kind  attention.  I  am,  Dear  Sir,  your  obliged 
and  Ob'd't  Servant,  W.  D.  Peck." 

We  may  judge  from  the  message  now  arriving  from  Dover, 
New  Hampshire,  that  Dr.  Spalding  had  occasion  to  make 
use  of  his  friend  Dr.  Dow  of  that  place  concerning  some  deeds 
of  land.^ 

"Dover,  July  20,  1814.  Dear  Sir:  The  Recorder  has  attended 
to  the  object  of  your  request,  a  statement  of  which  he  has  sent  you. 
He  handed  me  the  Deed  several  days  ago,  and  placing  it  in  a  place 
of  safety,  being  out  of  sight,  I  forgot  the  circumstances  of  my  having 
it,  and  have  kept  it  by  me  5  or  6  days,  for  which  I  hope  I  shall  find 
excuse.  Relative  to  the  land,  you  had  best  advise  your  friend  to 
dispose  of  it  with  all  possible  speed,  for  if  the  deed  bears  any  kind 
of  mark  of  the  Real  consideration,  he  has  probably  given  4  times 
as  much  as  any  uncultivated  land  in  the  Miserable  town  of  Benton, 
is  worth. 

Relative  to  business  we  jog  on  in  the  old  style,  practice  enough 
and  poor  as  the  deuce.  Healthy,  except  measles,  which  are  some- 
times fatal. 

Dr.  Greely^  moved  out  of  town  to  East  Kingston  the  place  of 
his  nativity;  a  Dr.  Taylor^  here:  how  he  will  sprawl  I  know  not. 
Dr.  Greely  leaves  the  place  with  a  reputation,  and  with  the  regret 
of  his  employers. 

Relative  to  old  Portsmouth,  we  stand  medically  in  statu  quo. 
Our  little  medical  Society,  of  which  we  consider  you  the  Father  be- 
gins to  flourish.  Portsmouth  gentry  Growl,  because  Dr.  Spalding 
has  left  them.  I  tell  them,  that  apathy  in  the  feelings  of  people  is 
a  poor  reward  to  merit  in  a  physician.     I  want  you  to  write  me  as 

^  Dr.  Jabez  Dow  (1776-1839)  was  a  physician  of  great  renown  for 
a  small  place  like  Dover.  His  mansion  on  Silver  Street,  still  standing 
is  weU  worth  visiting.  He  was  a  sturdy,  firm,  and  loquacious  prac- 
titioner of  the  old  school,  and  ordered  his  patients  about  a  good  deal. 
He  wrote  a  readable  paper  "On  Hydrophobia,"  and  his  name  figures 
constantly  on  the  records  of  the  State  Society. 

2  Dr.  Jonathan  Greely  was  an  educated  man  who  eeked  out  a  small 
medical  income  by  teaching  Greek  and  Latin. 

^  Dr.  Taylor  is  unknown. 


278  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

often  as  you  can  find  it  convenient.  Nothing  would  give  ME 
greater  satisfaction  than  a  regular  correspondence.  Yours,  etc., 
Jabez  Dow." 

Just  before  setting  off  for  Fairfield  in  the  Autumn,  Dr. 
Spalding  received  a  letter  which  introduces  to  us  an  ex- 
traordinary Family,  with  all  of  whom  Dr.  Spalding  was 
intimately  acquainted:  the  Barbers  of  West  Claremont, 
Fairfield  and  Maryland. 

Rev.  Daniel  Barber  (1756-1834),  the  father  of  the  writer 
of  the  letter  was  at  one  time  Rector  of  an  Episcopal  Church, 
in  Schenectady,  and  then  in  West  Claremont  close  to  Cor- 
nish where  the  Spaldings  lived. 

His  son,  Virgil  Horace  Barber  (1782-1847)  also  became 
an  Episcopal  Clergyman  and  when  a  vacancy  arose  in  the 
Principal's  Chair,  at  Fairfield,  owing  to  the  resignation  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Judd,  Dr.  Spalding  recommended  him  for  the 
place.  This  position  he  accepted  and  removed  to  Fairfield 
where  he  not  only  served  faithfully,  but  he  amazed  the  vil- 
lagers by  talking  Latin  to  his  wife  and  growing  children. 

After  a  year  or  two  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barber  happened  to  be 
reading  aloud  a  "Novena  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,"  and  were 
so  much  influenced  by  the  doctrines  inculcated,  that  they, 
with  their  five  children  embraced  Catholicism  and  ultimately 
induced  the  Reverend  Daniel  Barber  and  his  wife  too,  to 
follow  their  example,  so  that  at  one  conversion  nine  souls 
"Went  over  to  Rome."  Young  Mr.  Barber  as  we  shall  soon 
see,  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome,  and  ultimately  the  entire 
family  died  in  Conventual  Life,  in  Maryland  and  elsewhere, 
as  Fathers  and  Sisters  of  the  Church. 

The  letter  which  introduces  us  to  this  family  follows 
here: 

"Fairfield,  Oct.  23,  1814.  Dear  Sir:  Enclosed  I  send  you  the 
order  on  the  Treasurer  of  Trinity  Church,  as  I  proposed  when  in 
N.  Y.  I  wish  you  would  represent  to  Mr.  Clarkson,  the  great  ac- 
commodation it  will  be  to  me  if  he  will  advance  what  is  due  for  the 
whole  year.'  If  it  would  be  convenient  I  would  have  you  inform 
Mr.  Swords,  that  Dr.  Sherwood  wants  2  or  3  copies  of  Parkhurst's 
"Greek-Hebrew  Lexicon";^  also  1  doz.  of  Main's  "Introduction," 

1  The  salary  due  from  Mr.  Clarkson  as  Treasurer  was  $750. 

'^  The  books  asked  for  are  long  since  obsolete,  but  John  Parkhurst 
(1728-1797)  deserves  mention.  He  was  a  Curate  at  Epsom,  England, 
where  he  led  a  retired  life  devoted  to  his  parish,  his  Greek,  his  Latin 


FOUR  YEARS  IN  NEW  YORK  279 

two  or  three  sets  of  Green's  "Majora  and  Minora,"  with  as  many 
Murphy's  "Lucien."  Capt.  Paine  desires  me  to  request  you  to 
procure  for  him  a  tin  ear  trumpet;  he  being  very  much  troubled  in 
hearing.  Please  to  pay  Mr.  Swords  the  little  amount  $2  or  $3  I 
owe  him,  out  of  the  money  you  will  receive  for  me.  Your  Very 
Humble  Servant,  Virgil  H.  Barber." 

It  was  the  fashion  in  those  days  to  print  "Open  Letters" 
to  distinguished  physicians,  and  amongst  several  issued  by 
Dr.  Spalding  was  one  to  Baron  Larrey  "On  Abnormal 
Cartilages  in  the  Capsular  Ligament  of  the  Knee  Joint." 
With  this  Letter,  when  printed  in  the  "Repository,"  Dr. 
Spalding  forwarded  a  copy  of  his  Inaugural  Address  and 
asked  permission  to  nominate  Larrey  as  honorary  member 
of  the  New  York  Historical  Society.  The  answer  follows, 
translated : 

"Paris,  Sept.  12,  1815.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  already  had  the  honor 
to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  Inaugural  Address  before  the 
celebrated  Medical  School  over  which  you  now  preside,  and  I  take 
the  opportunity  to  day,  owing  to  the  voyage  of  one  of  my  students 
to  your  immense  country,  to  express  to  you,  once  more,  my  gratitude 
for  the  interest  which  you  have  shown  in  me  and  in  my  writings. 
I  desire  in  this  way  to  make  an  opportunity  to  be  able  to  prove  to 
you,  that  I  am  not  forgetful  of  your  exceedingly  courteous  remarks 
toward  me.  I  assure  you,  that  what  you  have  so  kindly  said  con- 
cerning me  will  remain  forever  engraven  on  my  memory.  It 
would  give  me  the  greatest  pleasure  in  the  world,  also,  to  receive 
the  Honorary  Title  of  Corresponding  Member  of  the  New  York 
Historical  Society,  if  you  should  see  fit  to  send  it  to  me.  With  my 
affectionate  compliments,  to  you,  Dear  Sir,  I  remain,  the  Baron 
Dominique  Jean  Larrey.^" 

Sometime  in  1816,  Dr.  Spalding  completed  his  "Treatise 
on  the  Institutes  of  Medicine"  and  now  offered  to  send  the 

and  his  Hebrew.  His  "Lexicon"  was  a  remarkable  book  enriched 
with  an  enormous  wealth  of  literary  illustrations  acquired  in  his  early 
travels  abroad,  and  before  he  settled  for  Ufe  in  Epsom. 

1  Baron  Larrey  (1766-1842)  studied  medicine  with  an  uncle  in  the 
coimtry,  went  to  Paris,  and  obtaining  a  position  as  Ship's  Surgeon, 
made  a  voyage  to  Newfoundland.  During  the  Revolution,  he  came  to 
the  front  as  organizer  of  the  ambulance  service,  accompanied  Napoleon 
in  all  of  his  campaigns,  and  after  the  Abdication,  remained  many  years 
at  the  head  of  French  Mihtary  Surgery.  His  "Memoirs"  are  vastly 
entertaining  and  instructive  to  the  student  of  military  surgery  and  Na- 
poleonic history. 


280  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

MSS.  to  Dr.  Caldwell  for  criticism.    The  answer  runs  to 
this  effect: 

"Philad'a,  July  18, 1816.  Dear  Sir:  It  will  afford  me  high  gratifi- 
cation to  look  through  your  MSS.,  and  I  cannot  feel  otherwise  than 
flattered  by  the  offer  you  have  had  the  politeness  to  make:  but  it 
is  not  probable  that  I  shall  find  much  ground  for  alterations  or 
amendments.  Possibly,  however,  I  may  on  some  points  be  able  to 
substitute  a  word  or  suggest  a  thought,  if  so,  I  shall  be  pleased  to 
do  it. 

I  will  take  care  that  you  shall  be  nominated  to  the  Philosophical  So- 
ciety, Before  the  time  of  your  being  ballotted  for,  I  should  like  much 
to  be  in  possession  of  your  Manuscript,  that  I  may  speak  of  it,  on 
that  occasion,  to  your  advantage.  I  am  myself,  in  the  way  of  be- 
coming shortly  again,  an  author,  in  a  medical  point  of  view,  and  am 
the  author  (incognito)  of  a  hterary  work  that  has  just  appeared. 
Whether  I  may  be  able  to  remain  concealed  is  yet  to  be  ascertained. 
Of  the  Medical  Work  I  am  preparing,  I  shall  announce  myseK  the 
author.! 

Please  to  let  me  have  some  of  your  MSS.  by  the  first  favorable 
opportunity,  and  beheve  me  in  great  truth,  Your  Obedient  and  Very 
Humble  Serv't,  Ch.  Caldwell." 

Although  I  find  no  trace  of  Dr.  Caldwell's  opinion  of  the 
MSS:  October  brought  the  following  favor  asked  in  return: 

"October  6th,  1816.  Dear  Sh:  A  Faculty  of  Physical  Science 
in  which  is  included  the  Chair  of  Natural  History  has  been  just 
created  by  the  Trustees  of  the  Univ.  of  Peimsylvania.  For  that 
Chair  (N.  History)  it  is  my  intention  to  become  a  candidate.  For 
sundry  reasons  which  it  is  not  material  to  recite,  I  shall  have  to 
support  my  pretensions,  in  part,  by  any  general  weight  of  character, 
for  science  and  letters,  I  may  be  so  fortunate  to  possess.  With  my 
general  reputation  in  these  respects,  you  I  beheve,  are  perfectly 
acquainted. 

To  the  sundry  remarks  of  regard  I  have  had  the  honour  of  receiv- 
ing from  you,  will  you  have  the  goodness  to  add,  in  a  communication 
to  myseK  that  of  a  distinct  expression  respecting  my  general  stand- 
ing as  a  medical  philosopher,  and  a  man  of  general  Science  and 
letters. 

Is  it,  or  is  it  not,  your  opinion  that  my  character  with  my  country- 
men in  these  respects  is  such,  as  would  add  weight  and  give  some 
luster  to  the  Chair  to  which  I  might  be  chosen? 

Let  your  communication  assume  at  your  option,  the  shape  of  a 
letter  or  a  certificate  to  be  exhibited  to  the  Trustees  if  required.     In 

»  The  Medical  Work  was  an  Edition  of  CuUen'a  "Practice,"  and  the 
Literary,  "  Lives  of  Distinguished  Americans." 


FOUR  YEARS  IN  NEW  YORK  281 

a  case  like  the  present,  early  impressions  are  important.  You  will, 
therefore  exceedingly  oblige  me,  by  favouring  me  with  a  reply  to 
this  letter  at  as  early  a  day  as  possible.  On  another  subject  I  hope  to 
have  leisure  to  write  to  you  shortly;  which  has  not  yet  been  the 
case. 

With  high  and  sincere  regard,  I  am,  Dear  Sir,  your  Friend  and 
Obedient  Servant,  Ch.  Caldwell." 

The  MSS.  just  noted  was  next  sent  to  Dr.  Shattuck  for 
his  opinion,  which  runs  to  this  effect: 

"Boston,  Nov.  19,  1816.  My  dear  Su::  I  have  the  honor  to 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  accompanying  the  Manu- 
script. As  a  proof  of  your  high  confidence  in  my  friendly  regard, 
I  beg  you  to  accept  my  acknowledgments.  As  neither  my  ability 
nor  leisure  enable  me  to  write  Notes,  you  will  excuse  my  simple 
statement  of  an  opinion  of  the  undertaking  and  of  its  execution. 
The  undertaking  is  in  itself  vast,  and  impUes  enterprise  of  the 
highest  order ;  it  undoubtedly  would  do  an  American  public  good, 
by  provoking  the  Faculty  to  new  efforts  of  examination,  and 
thought,  even  if  it  failed  to  add  to  the  reputation  of  the  author. 
The  execution  in  its  style  is  novel.  Novelty  in  a  System  is  ob- 
jectionable, unless  its  nearer  conformity  to  natiue  be  demonstrable. 
Particular  parts  will  undoubtedly  receive  new  elucidation  by  ex- 
tensive anatomical  research.  As  your  reputation  with  the  Medical 
American  Public  already  stands  exceedingly  high,  is  that  reputation 
to  derive  additional  lustre  from  the  pubhcation?  To  the  solution 
of  tliis  inquiry,  I  am  inadequate:  but  upon  this  delicate  point  of 
trust  you  have  already  felt  adequate  to  a  decision.  With  Great 
Respect,  I  am,  My  Dear  Sir,  Your  Obliged  Friend,  Geo.  C.  Shat- 
tuck," 

A  few  days  later,  as  if  he,  too,  had  seen  the  MSS.,  Dr. 
Waterhouse  wrote: 

"Cambridge,  18  Nov.  1816.  Dear  Su-:  The  Bearer,  of  this,  Mr. 
Wait  is  a  respectable  Printer  and  Bookseller  in  Boston.  He  is,  I 
believe,  about  printing  a  new  Edition  of  Thacher's  "Dispensatory," 
and  if  I  mistake  not,  another  work  by  the  same  author.  Whatever 
it  may  be,  my  respect  for  Dr.  Thacher  and  Mr.  Wait,  and  the  desire 
of  promoting  useful  publications,  induce  me  to  reconamend  the 
latter  to  your  notice  and  confidence.  I  conceive  that  Dr.  Thacher 
and  you  can  benefit  each  other  in  your  respective  pubhcations  — 
and  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  of  my  giving  Mr.  Wait  this  letter 
of  introduction  to  you. 

My  FamUy,  such  Alas!  as  remain  of  it,  desire  to  be  remembered 
to  you  and  yours.  I  correspond,  as  you  know,  more  with  medical 
men  at  a  distance  than  with  those  near  to  me.    To  hear  of  your 


282  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

health  and  prosperity,  will  always  give  pleasure  to  Your  Friend  and 
Humble  Servant,  Benj'n  Waterhguse.^" 

A  brief  note  terminates  the  correspondence  for  1816,  in- 
troduces two  new  friends  and  emphasizes  the  wide  acquaint- 
ance of  Dr.  Spalding. 

Rev.  Abiel  Carter  (1791-1827),  a  Dartmouth  graduate  of 
1813,  and  now  settled  in  Savannah  as  a  Clergyman,  made  a 
call  on  Dr.  Spalding  on  his  way  North,  and  was  handed  an 
introductory  letter  to  Joseph  Perry,  a  Tutor  at  Dartmouth. 
Mr.  Perry,  by  the  way,  later  suffered  from  weak  eyes,  re- 
signed for  that  reason,  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  Keene,  New 
Hampshire,  the  rest  of  his  life. 

Replying  in  due  season  to  the  letter  mentioned,  Mr. 
Periy  writes  to  this  effect. 

"Hanover,  Aug.  29,  1816.  Dear  Sir:  Your  polite  note  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Carter  has  been  received.  Agreeably  to  your  request,  I  send 
you  the  Pamphlets  relating  to  Dartmouth  College,  excepting  the 
"Vindication"^  of  the  Eight  Trustees  which  cannot  be  conveniently 
obtained.  President  Wheelock  wishes  to  be  very  cordially  re- 
membered to  you,  Sir,  and  he  will  ever  be  happy  in  showing  you 
any  favor  in  his  power.  With  sentiments  of  Respect,  Your  Friend 
and  Servant,  Jos.  Perey." 

1  The  "Institutes"  was  advertised,  but  never  printed  as  a  whole. 
Chapters  on  "Fever"  and  on  "Yellow  Fever"  were  issued  as  pam- 
phlets, in  magazine  form  and  as  Reprints. 

^  "The  Vindication  of  the  Official  Conduct  of  the  Trustees"  was  a 
much  talked  of  pamphlet  concerning  the  quarrel  between  the  College 
and  the  State  of  New  Hampshire.  The  scarcity  of  the  pamphlet  was 
due  to  the  fact  that  only  a  few  were  printed  and  sold  at  Twenty  Five 
cents  a  copy,  wliilst  the  "Reply"  of  the  opponents  was  printed  free, 
and  scattered  far  and  wide,  to  influence  popular  opinion. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Beginnings  of  the  Pharmacopceia.    Chair  of  Anatomy  in  the 

Pennsylvania  Medical  School.     Dr.  J.  L.  E.  W.  Shbcut; 

Gov.  Plxjmer;   Dr.  Trevett;   Dr.  Usher  Parsons. 

On  the  8th  day  of  January,  1817,  at  a  meeting  of  the  New 
York  County  Medical  Society,  Dr.  Spalding  proposed  a 
National  Pharmacopceia.  It  must  have  seemed  a  striking 
event  and  have  caused  much  remark  in  medical  circles, 
that  a  physician  who  had  only  been  a  resident  of  the  City 
for  four  years  should  arise  at  a  meeting  of  practitioners  of 
long  standing  and  open  discussion  on  a  topic  of  National 
Medical  Importance.  Yet  this  long  series  of  letters  prove 
that  the  man  was  fitted  for  the  place.  Moreover,  the  fact 
that  he  did  the  greater  part  of  this  work  alone  caimot  be  too 
strongly  emphasized.  To  the  few  who  gave  personal  aid, 
proper  recognition  will  be  given.  But  the  last  four  years  of 
Dr.  Spalding's  life  were  devoted  chiefly  to  this  great  task. 
Amidst  a  steadily  increasing  practice,  he  personally  wrote 
and  sent  from  his  home,  innumerable  letters  and  circulars 
concerning  his  notable  Project.  The  most  important  papers 
bearing  upon  this  labor  shall  have  a  separate  chapter  at  the 
end  of  this  life,  for  it  was  the  culmination  of  Dr.  Spalding's 
career.  Hardly  had  he  finished  the  pubhcation  of  the 
Pharmacopoeia  when  he  met  with  an  accident  which  at  once 
destroyed  his  practice  and  not  long  after  terminated  his  hfe. 

After  this  preliminary  note,  the  most  important  letters  re- 
ceived whilst  the  Pharmacopoeia  was  in  progress  may  here 
find  insertion. 

Early  in  the  year.  Dr.  Eleazer  Clapp  (1786-1817)  of 
Boston  1  was  on  his  way  South  in  search  of  health.  Dr. 
Shattuck  urged  him  to  stop  over  and  see  Dr.  Spalding,  and 
gave  him  this  introductory  letter: 

"Boston,  May  20,  1817,  Dear  Sir:  Permit  me  to  introduce  to 
your  friendly  notice,  and  Regard,  Dr.  Clapp,  the  bearer,  who  visits 

^  This  clever  young  man  was  graduated  from  Harvard  in  1807  and 
was  already  a  promising  member  of  the  Massachusetts  IMedical  Society, 
when  tuberculosis  set  in,  and  he  failed  to  survive  the  current  year. 

283 


284  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

your  city  as  an  invalid,  travelling  in  pursuit  of  health.  Dr.  Clapp 
till  his  present  indisposition  was  in  pretty  full  practice  in  this  town. 
Any  attention  you  may  show  him  to  cherish  and  refresh  his  ex- 
hausted spirits  consistent  with  your  convenience  will  confer  an  ad- 
ditional obligation  on  your  already  greatly  obhged,  Friend  and 
Servant,  Geo.  C.  Shattuck." 

I  now  have  the  pleasure  of  inserting  interesting  Dart- 
mouth and  family  news  from  Dr.  Smith,  who  had  happened 
to  meet  Mrs.  Spalding,  then  in  Portsmouth  on  a  vacation 
from  her  family  cares  in  New  York,  and  was  thus  reminded 
to  write  to  his  former  scholar. 

"Portsmouth,  Sept.  11,  1817.  Dear  Sir.  It  is  a  long  time 
since  I  have  heard  directly  from  you,  till  I  accidentally  found 
Mrs.  Spalding  in  Portsmouth  where  I  have  spent  a  few  days  on 
professional  business.  I  believe  Portsmouth  remains  very  much 
as  it  was  when  you  left  it,  excepting  that  to  fill  up  the  vacancy 
you  made  by  lea\nng  it,  about  half  a  dozen  physicians  have 
come  to  town  and  are  endeavoring,  I  suppose,  to  get  an  honest 
living. 

Our  old  College  at  Dartmouth  has  been  brought  to  bed  with  a 
young  University  and  has  not  yet  got  out  of  the  straw.^  A  jury  of 
Doctors  set  this  week  at  Exeter  to  consult  on  her  Case,  and  the 
pubhc  are  waiting  mth  considerable  anxiety  the  result  of  their  de- 
liberation. I  have  taken  up  my  connection  with  that  Seminary, 
and  therefore  am  not  called  into  Council.  I  shall  return  home 
from  this  place  through  Boston,  where  I  have  some  unfinished 
business,  and  from  thence  I  shall  return  to  Hanover,  and  immedi- 
ately remove  my  family  to  New  Haven  where  I  am  going  to  settle 
down  quietly  with  them,  and  leave  off  roaming  about  the  Country. 
My  oldest  son,  David  Solon,^  has  had  his  head  turned  about  the 
Western  Country,  and  last  June  set  off  to  establish  himself  in  that 
region  as  a  physician.  I  expect  he  will  return  soon,  in  poverty, 
and  heartily  sick  of  the  project.  Ryno,  is  at  Haymarket  in  Vir- 
ginia as  an  Instructor  in  Mr.  Thom :  Turner's  f amily.^ 

1  have  nothing  new  in  the  medical  world.  This  has  been  a 
healthy  season,  generally,  in  New  England  excepting  a  few  places 

^  The  allusion  to  Dartmouth  refers  to  the  estabUshment  of  a  Uni- 
versity by  New  Hampshire,  as  against  the  College  governed  by  Trus- 
tees under  the  old  Charter.  Tliis  was  the  beginning  of  the  famous 
Dartmouth  College  Case. 

'  David  Solon  Chase  Hall  Smith  (1785-1859)  came  home  again  and 
practiced  many  years  in  Sutton,  Massachusetts. 

2  Nathan  Ryno  Smith  (1797-1877)  soon  abandoned  Tutoring, 
studied  medicine  and  settling  in  Baltimore  became  a  very  renowned 
Surgeon  in  that  City. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPOEIA     285 

of  no  great  extent  where  dysentery  has  prevailed.^  Last  Spring 
a  year  ago,  I  wrote  some  Notes  on  Wilson's  "Febrile  Diseases. "^ 
If  you  should  happen  to  look  into  it,  you  will  observe  many  blunders 
by  the  printer.  The  caase  was,  that  Mr.  Cook  never  sent  me  a 
Proof  Sheet,  nor  a  Book,  but  printed  and  distributed  the  book 
and  the  Type,  while  I  was  waiting  for  a  Proof  Sheet.    N.  Smith." 

No  other  letter  of  value  is  available  for  our  historical 
purposes  in  1817,  except  one  from  Mr.  Barber,  Jr.,  in  Rome, 
whither  he  had  journeyed  to  obtain  instruction. 

"Rome,  Italy,  Nov.  1817.  My  Dear  Sir:  It  is  with  pleasure  I 
address  myself  to  one  who  has  on  so  many  occasions  manifested 
himself  my  friend.  If  I  did  not  avail  myseK  of  the  opportunity,  be- 
fore my  removal  from  New  York  to  express  to  you,  personally,  a 
sense  of  the  obUgations  which  your  politeness  conferred  on  me  and 
my  family,  I  hope  the  present  acknowledgement  will  cancel  a 
neglect  occasioned  by  the  urgency  of  my  affairs. 

Of  the  disposition  of  my  family  in  consequence  of  Mrs.  Barber's 
desire  to  devote  herself  to  reUgion,  and  of  my  subsequent  embarking 
for  Europe  you  doubtless  are  long  since  apprized.  My  voyage 
though  miusually  long  was  nevertheless  pleasant,  being  free  from 
storm  and  bad  weather.  We  had  a  view  of  most  of  the  Western 
Islands,  and  passing  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  we  kept  along  the 
Spanish  Coast.  Passing  Fromentara  and  Corsica  and  other  islands 
which  we  saw,  on  the  14th  of  August  v/e  entered  Leghorn.  Here 
we  performed  a  quarantine  of  two  weeks  at  the  Lazaretto.  Liber- 
ated from  this  confinement,  I  proceeded  the  same  day  to  Pisa,  and 
returning  the  next,  we  set  off  for  Rome.  Our  journey  led  us  through 
Siena  and  Viterbo,  the  former  of  which  lies  in  Tuscany,  and  is 
noted  for  its  superior  taste  and  politeness,  of  manners,  as  well  as 
distinguished  for  its  correct  and  elegant  pronunciation  of  the 
Italian  tongue,  and  the  latter  is  situated  in  the  Pope's  Dominions, 
nor  is  it  remarkable  for  anything  that  fell  under  my  observation  ex- 
cepting the  remains  of  a  person  who  died  in  the  10th  Century.  She 
is  called  St.  Rosa,  and  was  a  native  of  that  city.  Her  death  was 
occasioned  by  fire.    This  being  extinguished,  on  searching  for  the 

^  Dr.  Smith  travelled  so  extensively  over  New  England  for  years 
that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  every  epidemic  occurring,  so  that  his 
remark  concerning  the  general  health  is  reliable. 

^  "Wilson"  on  "Febrile  Diseases"  is  very  misleading  to  a  modern 
searcher  after  medical  facts.  For,  Alexander  Philip  Wilson  (?  1779- 
?  1851)  v/as  only  kno-vim  as  Wilson,  up  to  1807,  when  he  changed  his 
name  to  A.  Philip  Wilson-Philip.  "The  Treatise"  annotated  by  Dr. 
Smith  was  originally  published  in  four  volumes  in  1799-1804.  Wilson 
practiced  in  many  towns  in  England,  then  in  London,  made  money, 
speculated,  lost,  and  is  said  to  have  died  forlornly  in  France. 


286  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

remains,  her  body  was  discovered  to  have  suffered  from  the  flames 
no  external  injmy  farther  than  the  discoloring  of  the  skin,  which 
was  perfectly  black.  The  corpse  was  laid  out  in  the  usual  manner, 
and  afforded  a  fair  opportunity  for  inspection.  I  examined  it  with 
attention,  and  could  not  but  wonder  at  seeing  the  laws  of  mortality 
so  far  as  I  could  discern,  completely  suspended.  The  countenance 
was  not  sunk  as  is  cormnonly  the  case  with  the  dead,  and  I  believe, 
universally  after  some  considerable  length  of  exposure  to  the 
action  of  the  air.  Nor  was  even  the  skin  contracted,  nor  the  muscles 
slirunk,  but  all  appeared  distended  to  its  natural  state  when  alive 
and  healthy.  More  than  once  I  wished  for  the  knowledge  of  the 
intelligent  physician  that  I  might  go  away  with  the  satisfaction  of 
having  investigated  this  remarkable  phenomenon  as  critically  as 
the  nature  of  the  thing  and  the  science  of  the  age  or  the  laws  of 
animal  nature  when  deprived  of  life  would  admit.  As  it  was,  I  am 
not  afraid  the  candid  muid  will  charge  me  with  superstition,  if  I 
believe  till  better  informed,  that  what  I  saw  was  the  manifestation 
of  power  which  governs  the  world. 

I  reached  Rome,  about  the  first  of  September.  With  its  an- 
tiquities connected  with  its  history,  it  presents  a  world  of  itself. 
My  first  object  on  my  arrival  was  to  make  myself  acquainted  with 
its  present  state,  and  to  visit  such  places  and  objects  as  are  remark- 
al:)le  for  past  transactions,  or  justly  claim  the  admiration  of  the 
world.  Among  these  are  the  catacombs  St.  Sebastian,  the  Castle 
of  St.  Angelo,  the  Pantheon,  the  collections  of  ancient  sculpture  at 
the  Capitol  and  the  Vatican,  the  Church  of  St.  Peter,  the  aqueducts, 
fountains  and  obelisks.  Should  you  wish  to  refresh  your  mind 
with  a  short  account  of  these,  I  would  recommend  Gahan's  "History 
of  the  Church."  With  regard  to  them  all,  I  have  barely  to  remark 
that  in  none  of  them  did  I  suffer  any  disappointment  excepting  at 
the  fii'st  view  of  St.  Peter.  I  had  read  and  been  told  so  much  of 
the  vast  size  of  this  admired  edifice,  that  my  expectations  were 
raised  in  proportion.  On  seeing  it  appear  so  inferior  to  all  my 
imagination  had  painted,  I  went  away  dissatisfied;  nor  was  it  till 
after  a  leisurely  inspection  of  its  parts  and  particularly  after  ascend- 
ing the  cupola,  that  I  was  not  only  convinced,  but  felt  that  its  ex- 
tent was  enonnous.  You  can  form  some  estimate  of  this,  when 
told  that  the  globe  or  brass  ball  at  the  top,  appears  from  the  ground 
to  be  of  the  ordinary  size,  and  yet  it  is  capable  of  holdmg  at  least 
fifteen  persons,  some  say  more.  I  entered  the  globe  about  the 
middle  of  the  day  and  found  it  insufferably  warm. 

If  you  will  let  me  know  how  I  can  serve  you  or  gratify  your 
curiosity  during  my  stay  in  Europe,  which  probably  will  be  two  or 
three  years,  I  shall  consider  it  a  favor.  At  present  I  am  acquainted 
with  no  medical  characters  here,  except  the  Pope's  Physician,  and 
he  appears  to  be,  as  undoubtedly  he  is,  at  the  head  of  his  pro- 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPGEIA     287 

fession.  In  proper  time  I  design  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of 
Institutions  of  Medicine,  and  the  state  of  that  science  in  the  country. 
Accept  the  assurance  of  my  respect  to  yourself  and  Mrs.  Spalding, 
and  believe  me  your  Friend,  Virgil  H.  Barber." 

I  have  given  Mr.  Barber's  letter  in  full  as  a  specimen  of  a 
view  of  Italy  a  Century  ago.  He  is,  however,  according  to 
Mr.  Hare,  mistaken  regarding  St.  Rosa.  For  she  died, 
originally,  in  the  XIII  Century,  and  a  century  later  her 
convent  was  set  afire.  She  then  arose  from  her  tomb  to 
ring  the  alarm  for  fire,  and  returning  to  her  coffin  was  by  this 
fire  burnt  as  black  as  a  coal,  though  miraculously  embalmed. 

Dr.  Caspar  Wistar  died  in  January,  1818,  and  Dr.  Spald- 
ing announced  himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  vacancy  in  the 
Pennsylvania  Hospital  Medical  School.  His  chances  were 
small  because  local  influence  would  of  course  compel  a  local 
successor.  Other  candidates,  however,  outside  of  Phila- 
delphia were  coming  forward  and  Dr.  Spalding  knew  that 
his  claims  were  as  good  as  theirs.  For  he  had  studied 
anatomy  for  twenty  years,  demonstrated  to  Dr.  Smith,  Dr. 
Ramsay  and  Dr.  Wistar,  had  given  six  courses  of  lectures 
at  Fairfield,  and  had  been  the  first  American  anatomist  to 
inject,  successfully,  the  absorbents.  Fully  aware  of  his 
talents  and  ability,  he  visited  Philadelphia,  and  left  his  in- 
terests in  the  hands  of  his  friend  Dr.  Jonathan  Horwitz 
(1783-1852).  This  talented  man  was  born  in  Prussia, 
graduated  at  Gcettingen,  and  coming  to  America  obtained 
his  medical  degree  at  Philadelphia.  Turning  aside  from 
medicine  he  gradually  became  a  fine  Orientalist,  a  master 
of  several  languages,  and  was  twice  sent  officially  on  Govern- 
ment Missions  to  Europe.  He  practiced  also  in  Baltimore 
but  seems  to  have  preferred  to  be  known  as  a  linguist  and 
teacher  of  Hebrew.  His  letters  to  Dr.  Spalding  are  of 
value  to  the  history  of  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital  Medical 
School.  I  print  them  as  they  read,  with  their  slightly 
curious  errors  in  English. 

The  following  recommendation  from  Dr.  Ramsay  ac- 
companied Dr.  Spalding's  application, 

"Fryeburg,  Me.,  Feb.  7,  1818.  As  the  friends  of  Dr.  Spalding 
of  New  York  have  requested  a  certificate  from  me  respecting  my 
opinion  of  his  character  as  an  Anatomist,  I  hereby,  in  my  usual 
manner  on  such  occasions  address  this  letter  to  such  persons  as 
may  require  my  knowledge  of  the  abilities  of  my  pupils,  and  declare 


288  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

my  high  sense  of  the  Industry,  Uncommon  Excellence,  and  great 
Extent  of  Dr.  Spalding's  powers  as  an  Anatomist. 

After  teaching  the  College  of  N.  Y.,  in  1807  (to  the  chair  of 
which  I  was  invited  as  an  Anatomist  and  Physiologist)  in  obeying 
a  similar  call  from  Dartmouth  College,  Dr.  Spalding  acted  as  my 
assistant  and  friend  with  that  ability  which  claimed  my  confidence 
and  respect.  He  filled  the  same  responsible  office  when  I  taught 
the  Institute  in  N.  Y.,  in  1817,  with  that  increased  ability  which 
drew  from  the  pupils  their  warmest  acknowledgement  and  my  un- 
bounded approbation.  I  now  possess  as  the  basis  of  my  Lectures 
on  Anatomy  and  Physiology;  Muscular,  Arterial,  Nervous  and 
Lymphatic  preparations  executed  in  the  style  of  my  museum  in 
Europe,  and  which  rival  European  excellence,  cliiefly  executed  as 
they  were  by  my  ingenious  Pupil  and  Friend,  Dr.  Spalding. 
Alex.  Ramsay." 

With  this  recommendation  arrived  a  characteristic  letter. 

"Fryeburg,  Feb.  17,  1818.  My  Dear  Sir:  I  enclose  a  certificate. 
Dana  ^  is  from  home.  All  manner  of  success  I  wish  you  if  your 
ambition  would  be  sated.  But  you  folks  have  your  own  species  of 
fehcity,  which  I  pity.  I  have  not  seen  your  $50  Note  here  against 
me,  and  I  may  say  that  the  great  expense  I  incurred  in  the  South, 
and  in  coming  here,  may  render  its  appearance  exactly  at  this  time 
inconvenient.  Do  your  books  sell  well?  Tell  Pascalis  ^  I  expected 
a  copy  of  his  work,  with  my  communication,  here,  and  if  he  behaves 
well,  I  may  become  his  correspondent.  My  Class  is  better  than 
could  be  expected  from  my  short  notices  issued  and  the  penury  of 
the  Country.  I  look  for  its  increase.  Beheve  me  your  friend, 
Alex  Ramsay." 

Dr.  Spalding  did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  news  from  Dr. 
Horwitz  concerning  affairs  in  Philadelphia. 

"Philadelphia,  March  2,  1818.  D'r  Sir:  I  have  made  all  in- 
quii'ies  and  the  follomng  are  the  results.    Dr.  Dorsey  has  finished 

1  Dana  is  our  friend  Judge  Judah  Dana  of  Walpole  times. 

2  Dr.  Felix  Pascalis  Ouvieres  (1750-1840)  known  as  Dr.  Pascalis  in 
New  York,  where  he  practiced,  was  one  of  Dr.  Spalding's  very  intimate 
friends.  In  little  notes  to  Dr.  Spalding  he  signa  liimself  "Your  own 
Pascalo."  Pascalis  seems  to  have  been  of  Portuguese  descent  (Pas- 
quale)  but  was  bom  in  France  and  educated  at  the  Medical  School  at 
Montpellier  in  the  country.  He  practiced  for  a  while  in  the  Island  of 
So:  Domingo,  but  escaping  from  the  Negro  Revolutionists  he  settled 
in  New  York.  He  went  abroad  not  long  afterward  to  study  an  epidemic 
in  Cadiz,  and  on  his  return  studied  and  wrote  concerning  a  similar 
epidemic  in  Philadelphia.  He  wrote  a  great  deal  whilst  an  Editor  of  the 
"Repository"  and  was  very  useful  in  forwarding  the  Pharmacopoeia. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOP(EIA     289 

the  course  of  the  deceased  Dr.  Wistar.  He  pretends  not  to  desire 
the  Chair  of  Anatomy  being  now  possessor  of  the  Mat.  Med. ;  which 
I  presunae  he  intends  to  fill  until  the  death  of  his  Uncle  Dr.  Physick, 
when  in  all  probability,  he  has  an  eye  to  the  Professorship  of  Sur- 
gery, being  more  congenial  to  his  pursuits.  But  exerts  himself 
much,  and  makes  strong  interest  in  favour  of  a  Dr.  Smith,i  now 
President  of  a  College  in  Virginia.  Drs.  Hartshorn  ^  and  Hewson,^ 
I  understand  are  also  candidated  for  the  professorship.  I  have 
several  times  called  on  some  of  the  Trustees,  but  have  never  been 
sufficiently  fortunate  to  meet  them  within. 

There  exists  a  spirit  of  monopoly,  and  sycophancy  in  the  Medical 
School  of  this  place  that's  unrivalled  any  where.  And  I  have  no 
doubt  that  they  will  try  to  have  somebody  from  here;  though  I  be- 
lieve Dr.  Smith  stands  a  fair  chance.  I  shall  cite  the  Finis  of  Dr. 
Caldwell's  Eulogy  on  Dr.  Wistar  delivered  a  few  days  ago,  by  which 
you  will  be  enabled  to  perceive  what  wretched  flattery  exists  here. 

Though  the  Dr.'s  appearance  and  eloquence  would  have  been 
better  at  the  field  of  Bunker's  Hill,  having  more  the  oratorical 
powers  and  appearance  of  a  soldier  than  a  physician  or  orator,  yet 
these  were  his  words. 

"We  have  lost  a  Rush,  a  Barton,  and  a  Wistar,  yet  by  the  judi- 
cious selections  of  the  Trustees"  (not  one  physician  amongst  them 
and  therefore  unable  to  judge)  "those  chairs  have  been  so  well 
filled  that  they  equal  if  not  surpass  their  predecessors.  But  a 
WISTAR!  He  that  will  fill  a  Wistar's  Chair,  must  be  a  great  man! 
And  such  we  have  amongst  us.    We  need  not  seek  for  them  abroad." 

My  humble  advice  therefore,  would  be  this.  As  the  election  will 
not  take  place  until  some  time  the  next  Spring  or  Siunmer  (though 
I  shall  try  my  best  to  see  5  or  6  of  the  Trustees  and  exert  my  little 
influence  so  far  as  it  goes)  for  you  to  come  here,  for  nobody  can  do 
one's  business  as  well  as  one's  self.    But  in  order  to  make  your 

^  Dr.  Smith  was  J.  Augustine  Smith. 

2  Dr.  Joseph  Hartshorn  (1779-1850)  obtained  his  degree  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1805,  went  as  Ship's  Surgeon  to  the  East  Indies  and  practiced 
a  while  in  Java.  Returrdng  to  Philadelphia  he  was  one  of  the  Surgeons 
to  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital  and  edited  Boyer's  "Treatise  on  the 
Bones." 

3  Dr.  Thomas  Tickell  Hewson  (1775-1848)  was  a  grandson  of  Wil- 
liam Hewson,  a  distinguished  English  Surgeon,  and  son  of  a  second  Dr. 
WilUam  Hewson,  who  was  at  one  time  a  partner  of  WilHam  Hunter's. 
When  Hewson  and  Hunter  quarrelled  concerning  money,  Benjamin 
Franklin  acted  as  a  mediator.  After  the  death  of  his  Father,  Thomas 
Hewson  estabUshed  in  Philadelphia  a  Private  School  of  Medicine.  He 
was  later  elected  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice  and  translated 
various  medical  and  sm'gical  papers  from  the  French.  He  also  col- 
laborated diUgently  in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and  won  a  lofty  reputation 
in  Medicine. 


290  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

journey  effectual,  if  you  could  procure  letters  to  some  of  the  most 
influential  Trustees,  particularly  to  Mr.  Merdith,^  it  would  be  well 
for  you.  He  has  great  influence  in  the  Board  and  being  a  Yankee 
swims  always  on  top,  and  does  with  the  others  whatever  he  pleases. 

That  you  may  succeed  according  to  your  merits  and  virtues  are 
the  ardent  wishes  of,  Dear  Su-,  your  friend,  J.  Horwitz. 

P.  S.  In  going  to  the  Post  Office  I  luckily  met  with  Bishop 
White  (a  Trustee)  m  Market  St.  who  uiformed  me  that  there  will 
be  a  meeting  to  morrow  evening  of  the  Board,  and  that  the  whole 
Faculty  has  drawn  up  a  petition  in  favor  of  Dr.  Smith,  that  Dr. 
Warren  of  Boston  and  Dr.  Hewson  from  here  are  candidates.  Dr. 
Warren  is  also  strongly  recommended,  but  this  ought  not  to  dis- 
courage your  exertions." 

Although  supporting  Dr.  Warren  as  a  candidate,  Dr. 
Caldwell  now  wrote  to  Dr.  Spalding  that  Dr.  Dorsey  would 
have  the  vacant  chair,  and  that  where  he  saw  no  chance  for 
anybody  else  it  would  be  uncandid  to  offer  any  encourage- 
ment. He  sent  with  this  letter  a  copy  of  his  Eulogy  on 
Wistar  sajdng  that  his  time  had  been  too  much  occupied  to 
do  justice  to  the  subject. 

Dr.  Warren  also  wrote  to  this  effect: 

"As  you  may  have  heard  something  about  my  being  a  candidate 
for  the  Anatomical  Chair  at  Philadelphia,  and  as  these  things  are 
often  strangely  misrepresented,  I  beg  leave  to  trouble  you  with  the 
Statement;  That  I  am  not  and  never  have  wished  to  become  a 
competitor  for  that  affair.  Gentlemen  of  Philadelphia  strongly 
urged  it,  and  Dr.  Dorsey  and  Dr.  Caldwell  were  favorably  inclined: 
in  fact  as  they  say,  originally  proposed  it,  but  I  never  for  a  moment 
could  seriously  think  of  leaving  Boston  and  a  multitude  of  friends. 
Dr.  Dorsey  will  be  the  successful  candidate  for  Anatomy.  Coxe 
will  take  Materia  Medica,  and  Hare,  Chemistry.  There  is,  however, 
so  much  INTRIGUE,  that  neither  is  sure  but  the  first!!  " 

Dr.  Dorsey  was  elected  to  the  vacant  Chair,  delivered  the 
opening  lecture,  was  stricken  with  fever  on  the  next  day, 
and  died  very  soon. 

Dr.  Spalding  offered  his  service  again,  but  was  in  a  few 
days  informed  by  Dr.  Coxe  that  Dr.  Physick  would  fulfil 
the  duties  for  the  rest  of  the  winter. 

Dr.  Caldwell  who  was  also  appealed  to  sent  similar  in- 
formation. The  only  thing  then  left  was  to  electioneer  for 
the  vacancy  to  be  filled  in  the  year  1819  by  the  Trustees. 

^  Mr.  William  Meredith  was  a  celebrated  Lawyer,  President  of  the 
Schuylkill  Bank  and  City  Solicitor,  for  many  years. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     291 

With  this  in  view  Dr.  Spalding  sent  on  another  recom- 
mendation from  Dr.  Ramsay  which  had  reached  him  with 
this  curious  letter. 

"Fryeburg,  Maine,  March  20,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  Our  roads  are  so 
impassable  by  snow  that  your  letter  has  been  detained.  I  do  not 
lose  a  day  yet  shall  mention  in  the  end,  how  inconvenient,  cor- 
respondence is  to  me.  And  when  you  peruse  my  Second  Certificate, 
my  labors  and  my  reasonings  may  fail  in  gratifying  you  and  your 
advisers.  We  must  mutually  excuse  each  other.  One  motive  from 
withdrawing  from  the  work  is,  that  it  is  a  spoiled  child  and  I  have 
only  one  stable  plan  and  prospect.  If  I  am  to  serve  you,  essentially, 
with  wise,  learned,  and  good  men,  my  own  opinion  ought  to  acquire 
no  lustre  from  any  auditors  but  where  this  is  volunteered  by  them. 
In  yoin  favor  as  I  have  done,  I  have  therefore  left  it  to  your  friends 
of  the  Faculty  to  prove  their  kindness  and  imitate  me  in  subscribing 
their  opinions.  If,  upon  reflection,  your  friends  disapprove  the 
manner  of  speaking  of  your  Preparations  in  my  Certificate,  Ameri- 
cans and  Europeans  must  stiU  mutually  regret  variety  of  opinion. 
I  have  endeavored  to  consult  the  dictates  of  veracity  which  never 
is  at  variance  with  the  interests  of  probity  or  the  efl&ciency  of  friend- 
ship.    Let  me  hear  how  you  succeed. 

An  essay  "On  Dissection  as  the  basis  of  Physiology,  Anatomy  and 
Siugery"  has  been  laid  aside  to  wait  on  you,  and  shall  be  for- 
warded to  you  with  its  diagrams  of  the  head  and  neck. 

Some  interesting  cases  have  passed  through  my  hands,  in  fever: 
none  of  them  admitted,  naturally,  of  cold  affusion:  Vapor  baths 
could  not  be  procured.  I  wrapped  the  patient  in  a  wet  blanket  of 
nearly  the  temperature  of  the  body.  He  was  stretched  on  a  board 
as  more  easy  posture  than  sitting:  the  water  was  gradually  raised 
in  temperature,  and  continually  poured  on  the  blanket,  the  heat 
thus  raised  to  100°  or  104°.  The  body  was  then  dashed  on  each 
breast  by  only  a  tumbler  of  cold  water.  Convalescence  appeared 
from  that  moment.    Your  Friend,  Alex.  Ramsay." 

At  this  juncture  Dr.  Horwitz  kept  his  friend  in  touch 
with  the  state  of  affairs  and  mentioned  some  new  candidates. 

"Philadelphia,  April  12,  1819.  D'r  Sir:  In  answer  to  your  last, 
I  have  to  observe  that  the  Trustees  have  met  but  no  particular 
nomination  has  taken  place.  There  were  read  letters  from  4  can- 
didates, Viz;   Dr.  EngUs  from  Boston,^  Dr.  Watson  from  Virginia, 

1  Dr.  William  Ingalls  (1769-1851)  was  a  distinguished  physician  of 
Boston,  Professor  of  Surgery  at  one  time  at  Brown  University,  and  at 
the  head  of  a  Private  Medical  School  in  Boston,  which  was  a  promising 
rival  to  the  Harvard  School.  Dr.  IngaUs  drove  styUsh  horses,  and  ob- 
tained by  audacity,  a  dashing  surgical  and  medical  practice,  of  large 
proportions. 


292  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Dr.  Hewson,  and  Dr.  Patterson  from  Glasgow  ^  who  is  said  to  be  a 
very  popidar  lecturer  there  and  is  highly  recommended  by  Mr. 
Jeffries  and  Rev.  Dr.  Chalmers.  Therefore  place  is  kept  open  for 
candidates  wliich  yvWl  be  nominated  next  month  and  in  consequence 
the  election  wUl  not  take  place  until  June.  One  thing,  however,  is 
sure,  that  your  friend  Meredith  has  as  yet  made  no  mention  of 
5'our  name. 

The  College  of  Physicians  is  kept  in  a  room  in  5th  St.,  at  the  same 
place  where  the  Philosophical  Society  is  kept,  between  Chestnut 
and  Walnut. 

If  you  can  obtain  for  me  a  letter  from  Dr.  Mitchill  to  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son as  I  intend  to  be  a  candidate  for  the  Professorship  of  Oriental 
Languages  in  the  Central  College  under  the  patronage  of  Mr.  J. 
you  will  infinitely  oblige  your  most  obedient  J.  Horwitz," 

I  find  at  this  point  another  long  letter  from  Dr.  Horwitz 
concerning  his  application  for  a  position  as  Professor  of 
Hebrew,  and  although  it  is  hardly  related  to  the  career  of 
Dr.  Spalding,  it  throws  so  much  light  on  his  personal  friend, 
that  it  deserves  insertion. 

"D'r  Sir:  I  observe  from  your  note  that  Dr.  Mitchill  wishes 
some  testimony  of  my  quahfications.  My  object  in  seemg  Mr. 
Jefferson  is  to  procure  a  place  as  Professor  of  Oriental  languages  in 
the  new  founded  coUege  at  Charlottesville  of  which  he  is  the  head. 
I  thought  that  I  was  sufficiently  known  in  the  above  department,  not 
to  need  any  testimony,  having  taught  almost  all  the  Clergy  in  the 
Eastern,  Middle  and  Western  States.  There  is  but  one  person 
here  who  corresponds  with  Mr.  J.,  viz.,  John  Vaughan  with  whom  I 
am  not  on  good  terms;  otherwise  I  could  have  obtained  it  here. 
But,  to  the  point:  If  Dr.  Mitchill  wants  to  know  whether  I  am  a 
good  Hebrew  scholar  he  may  inquire  of  Dr.  Harris,  President  of 
Columbia,  Rev.  Mr.  Onderdonk,  etc.,  who  were  my  pupils.  These 
gentlemen,  whatever  may  be  their  opinion  of  my  orthodoxj'^  in  reli- 
gious matter  in  which,  perhaps,  we  do  not  agree,  cannot  help  of 
affirming  as  they  have  often  done  both  verbally  and  in  writing,  that 
they  consider  me  the  best  Hebrew  Scholar  in  the  Country. 

I  might  have  sent  you  a  letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson,  the  most 
accurate  Hebrew  Scholar  in  this  city,  if  he  had  not  already  publicly 

^  Granville  Sharp  Pattison  (1791-1851)  was  graduated  at  Glasgow, 
and  established  in  1818  a  private  medical  school  in  Philadelphia.  He 
was  later  called  to  the  University  of  Maryland,  but  resigned  owing  to 
poor  health  and  returned  to  England.  Recovering  his  health  he  re- 
turned to  Philadelphia,  and  was  chosen  a  Professor  in  the  JefTersoa 
Medical  School,  and  in  the  University  medical  school  in  New  York. 
He  wrote  "A  Treatise  on  Lithotomy,"  but  most  of  his  papers  were 
controversial,  and  ephemeral. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     293 

testified  of  me  in  the  most  flattering  terms  in  his  "Hebrew  Lan- 
guage." If  you  can  obtain  a  letter  from  Dr.  Mitchill  before  the  ex- 
piration of  a  week,  I  wUl  be  obUged  to  you.  Otherwise,  it  is  of  no 
consequence.  I  shall  attend  to  the  Anatomical  Chair,  and  shall 
write  you  as  soon  as  I  have  full  information.  If  you  arrive  here 
drop  a  note  for  me  in  the  Post  Office.  With  assurances  of  Respect, 
etc.,  J.  HoRwiTZ." 

The  final  letter  from  Dr.  Horwitz  concerning  the  Chair  of 
Anatomy,  but  which  I  omit  as  mere  repetition  of  his  pre- 
vious letters,  goes  all  over  the  ground  once  more,  mentions 
in  profuse  detail  the  opinions  of  the  various  trustees  con- 
cerning various  candidates,  says  that  no  appointment  is  to 
be  made  at  this  time  and  concludes  in  this  way: 

"There  seems  to  be  some  Mystery  and  Cavil  about  the  whole 
affair.  What  they  intend  to  do  nobody  knows.  Some  think 
General  Cadwallader  having  gone  to  Europe,  they  will  wait  until 
an  answer  from  him,  after  having  made  particular  inquu-y  concern- 
ing the  character  and  standing  of  Dr.  Patterson  of  Glasgow. 

I  thank  you  for  Dr.  Mitchill's  Note  to  Mr.  Jefferson,  and  am 
as  ever,  your  friend,  etc.,  J.  Horwitz." 

The  Trustees  at  length  made  what  has  been  called  the 
"unfortunate"  appointment  of  Dr.  Physick  to  the  vacant 
Chair  and  Dr.  Spalding's  long  and  persistent  efforts  met 
with  failure. 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  year  1818  and  set  in  order  the 
course  of  events,  interrupted  by  the  Philadelphia  Anatomical 
episode. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  Dr.  Spalding  decided  not 
to  print  his  "Institutes  of  Medicine"  as  a  single  volume, 
but  issued  parts  of  it  in  pamphlet  form.  I  now  go  on  to 
say  that  having  sent  one  to  Dr.  Nathan  Smith  the  following 
criticism  was  duly  received. 

"New  Haven,  March  6,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  It  has  been  some  time 
since  I  received  a  letter  from  you  accompanying  a  Dissertation  on 
"Fever,"  and  I  must  beg  your  pardon  for  not  answering  it  sooner. 
The  truth  is  I  have  been  very  closely  engaged  in  dehvering  my 
lectures,  on  which  I  have  been  more  fuU  and  particular  than  here- 
tofore. And,  of  late,  owing  to  some  headstrong  and  unforesighted 
young  men  in  procuring  subjects,  we  have  been  brought  into  much 
trouble,  and  perplexity,  which  I  trust  will  however  pass  over. 
Respecting  your  theory  of  fever,  as  it  happens  to  be  a  httle  different 
from  mine,  it  is  very  natural  to  suppose  that  I  should  not  be  quite 


294  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

satisfied  with  it.  As  to  what  Dr.  Rush  and  others  have  said  of 
Nosology,  and  the  general  disrepute  into  which  it  has  fallen,  it  is  to 
be  attributed  to  the  errors  of  those  who  attempted  it,  rather  than 
the  impossibihty  of  classing  diseases  in  a  way  which  will  assist  the 
learner.  Now  I  do  not  know  how  to  define  disease  other  than  the 
deficiency  or  wrong  performance  of  some  of  the  functions  of  the  body. 
Therefore,  if  we  know  which  of  the  several  functions  is  deranged 
primarily  by  a  disease;  such  disease  maj^  therefore  be  considered  as 
belongmg  essentially  to  that  organ,  whose  functions  are  changed. 
Now  as  anatomy  and  physiology  have  led  us  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
several  organs  of  the  body  and  their  respective  functions,  if  we  class 
diseases  accordingly  as  they  affect  the  different  functions,  we  shall 
not  have  a  great  many  classes  of  diseases,  not  enough  to  burden  the 
memoiy.  While  by  thus  confining  our  inquiries  to  this  circum- 
stance it  will  lead  us  one  step  toward  the  true  character  of  such 
disease  and  its  remedies.  For,  notwithstanding,  what  Cullen  and 
BroviTi  have  said  to  the  contrary,  remedies  have  what  in  one  sense 
may  be  called  a  specific  action  on  the  human  sj^stem :  that  is,  some 
remedies  exert  their  effects  chiefiy  on  some  certain  organs  or  parts 
of  the  system,  while  their  effects  on  the  other  parts  of  the  sj'^stem 
are  chiefly  through  the  medium  of  the  organs  on  which  their  effects 
are  first  exerted;  witness,  Narcotics,  Mercury,  Emetic  and  Cath- 
artic Medicines. 

If  you  will  look  at  the  last  edition  of  Wilson  "On  Febrile  Dis- 
eases" with  some  notes  of  mine,  you  will  find  an  outhne  of  nosology 
which  I  sketched,  and  which  was  published  without  my  having  an 
opportunity  to  correct  the  proof  sheets,  and  of  course  very  incorrect, 
but  sufficient  to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  plan.  Since  that,  another 
Nosology  has  come  out  from  England,  on  a  similar  plan,  but  the 
subject  is  handled  so  differently  as  to  acquit  us  both,  of  having 
borrowed  from  the  other.  You  will  perceive  that  I  have  attributed 
all  febrile  diseases  to  a  morbid  excitement  in  the  sanguiferous  system, 
and  confined  exclusively  to  the  capillary  part  of  that  system,  as 
morbid  changes,  either  of  structure  or  action  in  the  heart  or  great 
arteries  never  produce  anything  like  fever  or  inflammation;  wit- 
ness the  most  violent  palpitations  of  the  heart  which  arise  with  or 
without  organic  affections. 

My  theory  of  fever  is,  that  some  cause  throws  the  capillary 
system  into  morbid  excitement,  and  that  the  changes  which  take 
place  in  the  heart  and  great  arteries  in  febrile  diseases,  as  they  are 
always  subsequent  to  a  change  in  the  capillaries,  are  dependent  on 
such  derangements  in  that  part  of  the  sanguiferous  sj'-stem.  My 
objection  to  your  theory  is,  that  the  lassitude  which  you  mention 
in  the  muscles  is,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  subsequent  to  a  change  in 
the  capillary  system,  and  appears  to  depend  on  that  as  an  effect 
rather  than  a  cause.    But  to  go  into  full  description  of  the  subject 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOP(EIA     295 

would  lead  me  too  far  for  the  limits  of  a  letter,  we  will  therefore 
defer  it  to  an  opportunity  for  conversing  on  the  subject. 

I  wish  to  inquire  of  you  whether  you  know  of  a  physician  by  the 
name  of  Zebulon  Rood,  who  was  graduated  at  Hanover.  I  was 
informed  that  he  resided  in  N.  Y.  last  year  or  the  year  before.  If 
you  know  where  he  is,  be  kind  enough  to  inform  me  by  a  letter. 
Your  Sincere  Friend,  Nathan  Smith.^" 

Dr.  Spalding  for  some  time  previous  to  this  letter  from 
Dr.  Smith  had  been  serving  as  a  Trustee  of  the  Free  Schools 
of  the  City  of  New  York  and  in  this  position  was  enabled  to 
be  of  service  to  an  old  friend  from  Portsmouth,  William 
Coffin  Harris  (1788-1853),  Teacher  of  a  celebrated  school 
for  boys  in  his  native  town.  Mr.  Harris  would  have  been 
graduated  from  Harvard  in  the  Class  of  1807  had  he  not 
been  "Decimated"  for  protesting  against  the  bad  food 
served  at  Commons  —  "The  Rotten  Cabbage  Rebellion"  as 
it  was  called.  He  then  went  to  sea  in  the  Ship  "Dromo," 
which  turned  out  to  be  a  privateer  against  South  American 
Spanish  trade.  During  the  long  voyage  he  learned  how  to 
become  a  school  master  by  teaching  the  sailors  to  read  and 
write.  On  a  second  voyage,  during  the  War  of  1812,  he 
was  captured  and  imprisoned  at  Dartmoor.  He  had  now 
come  to  New  York  to  study  the  Lancastrian  System,^  and 
received  much  assistance  from  Dr.  Spalding.  Returning  to 
Portsmouth  Mr.  Harris  opened  a  school  for  boys,  carried  it 
on  for  years  with  great  success,  and  when  he  retired,  my 
Father  headed  the  list  of  his  former  scholars  who  then  pre- 
sented him  with  a  set  of  Silver. 

One  of  the  very  striking,  but  long  forgotten  Characters  in 
medical  America  is  that  of  John  Linnaeus  Edward  Whit- 

1  This  letter  is  a  magnificent  specimen  of  the  handwriting  of  Dr. 
Smith,  written  rapidly,  yet  clearly,  with  a  bold  hand  and  quUl  pen. 
Dr.  Rood  I  have  never  discovered. 

^  The  Lancastrian  Sj^stem  was  a  semi-military  school,  with  merits 
and  monitors,  each  boy  in  turn  becoming  a  monitor.  A  system  of 
emulation  prevailed.  Joseph  Lancaster  (1778-1838)  was  born  in 
England  and  established  his  schools  in  London  about  1801,  and  later 
united  them  with  those  of  Dr.  Andrew  Bell  (1753-1832)  who  had  in- 
troduced similar  ideas  from  India.  Lancaster  became  famous  every- 
where, but  his  character  was  unstable  and  he  made  no  permanent  suc- 
cesses. He  founded  schools  in  New  York,  Montreal,  New  Haven, 
Philadelphia,  St.  Thomas  and  even  in  Caracas  m  Venezuela  under  the 
patronage  of  Bolivar.  He  was  a  book-worm,  and  from  his  sedentary 
habits  became  very  stout,  and  died  from  a  street  accident. 


296  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

ridge  Shecut  (1770-1836).  Bom  of  Huguenot  parentage  in 
South  Carolina,  he  removed  early  to  Charleston,  obtained 
his  degree  at  Philadelphia  and  devoted  his  life  to  Botany 
and  Electricity.  He  was  a  voluminous  writer,  but  his  best 
work  is  "A  Flora  of  South  Carohna." 

WHien  Dr.  Spalding  wrote  to  him  concerning  the  Pharma- 
copoeia, he  replied  "^dth  a  note  and  an  essay  "On  Yellow 
Fever,"  and  after  Dr.  Spalding's  acknowledgements  of  this 
compliment,  Dr.  Shecut  wrote  two  exceedingly  voluminous 
letters  which  may  be  here  inserted  though  somewhat 
abridged. 

"Charleston,  S.  C,  April  16,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  Owing  to  inex- 
plicable delaj^s  your  letter  of  February  12th  did  not  reach  me  till 
last  uight,  and  I  hasten  to  reply.  I  am  happy  that  my  essay  on 
yellow  fever  has  called  forth  from  you  a  desire  to  be  made  more 
intimately  and  satisfactorily  acquainted  with  the  Influence  of  the 
Electric  Fluid  upon  the  atmosphere,  particularly  as  regards  the 
fever  in  question.  And,  I  would  to  GOD,  that  all  the  professors 
and  practitioners  of  physic  in  the  U.  S.  would  be  awakened  to  the 
same  inquiry  and  due  consideration  of  this  important  subject 
which  I  have  estabUshed  as  my  hypothesis  in  accounting  for  the 
Cause,  not  only  of  fevers  that  are  epidemic,  but  of  numerous  other 
diseases.  You  must  be  aware  that  in  a  correspondence  attended 
with  numerous  disadvantages  and  delays,  sometimes  failures  and 
loss  of  letters,  that  there  is  scarce  a  possibiUty  of  keeping  up  a 
regular  coimection  of  ideas.  Could  I  succeed  in  publishing  the  re- 
sults of  my  50  years'  experience,  for  which  I  have  been  incessantly 
laboring  for  the  last  6  years,  the  doctrine  of  The  Electric  Fluid  as  a 
Fifth  Element  of  Nature  would  afford  ample  proof  of  the  correct- 
ness of  my  hypothesis. 

As  it  is,  I  content  myself  by  stating  that  I  have  no  Suite  of  Ex- 
periments directed  to  the  object  of  ascertaining  the  actual  influence 
of  the  fluid  upon  the  health  of  nature,  except  such  as  I  have  made 
myself,  and  these  have  invariably  resulted  in  favor  of  my  liypoth- 
esls,  and  PROVE  that  during  the  prevalence  of  Yellow  Fever 
there  is  a  deficiency  of  electricity!  !  !  This  was  confirmed  in  the 
fever  of  1752  when  those  who  were  seized  with  the  fever  before  the 
Restoration  of  the  Electric  Equilibrium  died  suddenly.  BUT,  no 
sooner  did  the  heavy  concussion  of  thunder  and  lightning  restore 
the  equilibrium,  than  the  health  of  the  City  was  never  better.  In 
1806,  it  was  proved  that  with  abundant  thunder  and  lightning, 
there  was  little  fever,  and  the  medical  history  of  our  State  adds  to 
such  facts. 

If  my  hypothesis  is  not  warranted  by  regular  experiments,  it  is 
established  by  facts  developing  themselves  since  the  discovery  of 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPOEIA     297 

America,  and  which  have  made  more  forcible  and  lasting  impression 
on  my  mind  than  on  my  contemporaries.  That  they  may  be 
stimulated  to  more  attentive  regard  to  electric  phenomena  during 
this  fever  in  the  Future  is  my  most  earnest  wish.  Though  I  would 
not  attempt  to  assert  that  a  deficiency  of  Electricity  Always  pre- 
cedes or  accompanies  Yellow  Fever,  or  that  it  never  takes  place 
without  such  changes,  and  that  they  never  occur  without  producing 
the  fever,  I  am  willing  to  hazard  the  assertion,  that  there  are  but 
few  exceptions.  On  this  subject  I  have  thrown  down  the  gauntlet, 
but  with  the  design  of  Study  and  Inquiry,  and  I  am  sanguine  to 
predict,  that  if  my  experiments  are  attempted  on  principles  of 
sound  philosophy,  my  Hypothesis  will  be  permanently  estabhshed 
as  a  Medical  Fact.  I  am  also  laboring  to  bring  forth  essays  "On 
Contagion  and  Infection,"  "On  the  electrical  fluid  as  a  Constituent 
Principle  in  Universal  Nature,"  and  a  book,  "The  Elements  of 
Medicine"  in  1400  pages;  all  of  which  are  ready  for  the  press,  but 
for  which  the  press  is  not  ready. 

With  Sentiments  of  Literary  regard,  I  pray  you  to  accept  the 
assurance  of  my  best  wishes,  and  remain  Dear  Sir,  Respectfully 
yours,  J.  L.  E.  W.  Shecut."     ' 

Writing  again  in  July  and  enclosing  his  Essay  ''On  Con- 
tagion and  Infection/'  Dr.  Shecut  continues  his  former 
theories. 

"July  19,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  Your  polite  communication  with 
cu-cular  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  Report  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Free  Schools  of  New  York  have  reached  me  and  I  hasten  to  make 
my  acknowledgements  and  assure  you  of  my  prompt  attention  to 
their  several  contents.  My  hypothesis  is  daily  gaining  advocates. 
Several  members  of  our  Society  have  investigated  the  subject  and 
by  reference  to  its  records,  and  "The  Medical  History  of  the  State," 
have  found  that  whenever  the  Yellow  Fever  prevailed,  there  had 
been  httle  or  no  Thunder  and  Lightning,  and  of  com-se  no  Electrical 
Influence.  But,  that  invariably  in  the  years  when  the  Fever  did 
not  occur,  an  electrical  equihbrium  existed  in  the  atmosphere,  and 
that  these  years  were  remarkable  for  repeated  concussions  of  the 
Soul  of  Nature,  that  grand,  vivifying  principal  of  the  Universe,  The 
Electric  Fluid.  So  far,  this  year  promises  to  be  of  this  sort,  and  I 
ventured  to  predict  as  early  as  April,  that  in  the  event  of  a  heavy 
concussion  once  a  week  or  fortnight.,  there  would  be  no  Yellow 
Fever!  !  As  we  have  had  some  powerful  concussions  this  month 
the  city  is  healthy.  There  have  been  some  cases  of  Remittent 
Fever,  but  they  are  peculiar  to  this  climate.  I  object  to  their  being 
called  Bihous  Remittent.  I  do  not  acknowledge  any  such  disease 
as  Primary  and  Original,  but  I  consider  it  a  symptom  of  the  Vernal 
Remittent. 


298  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

I  have  lately  communicated  to  Dr.  Mitchill  an  account  of  a 
worm  discovered  in  a  cistern  of  Rain  Water.  It  has  staggered  our 
Naturalists. 

Charleston  is  a  poor  place  to  have  medical  printing  done.  If 
I  possessed  $100,000  and  published  all  my  MSS.  here  I  should 
be  left  without  money,  as  labor  is  high.  They  offered  in  N.  Y. 
to  print  for  12.50,  the  same  book  for  wliich  they  demand  $4.50 
here. 

As  soon  as  I  can  devote  a  day  to  the  Pharmacopoeia  I  will  forward 
my  communication  to  you.  I  wish  here,  to  call  your  attention  to 
an  important  particular,  that  of  confounding  the  name  and  virtues 
of  plants  from  mistake  or  misapplication  of  their  Popular  Names. 
I  refer  to  calling  "The  Prickly  Ash,"  the  "Tooth  Ache  Tree."  The 
Prickly  Ash  possesses  none  of  the  vhtues  of  the  other  tree  at  all, 
which  is  stimulating,  almost  like  Capsicum,  whilst  Prickly  Ash 
possesses  no  heating  properties  whatsoever,  and  so  of  many  other 
articles.  I  must  however  break  off  here.  Beheve  me  Truly  Yours, 
J.  L.  E.  W.  Shecut." 

Dr.  James  Jackson,  of  Boston,  visited  Dr.  Spalding  in 
the  summer  of  1818,  and  returning  home,  wrote  this  en- 
tertaining letter: 

"Boston,  Aug.  4,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  I  found  your  letter  of  the 
middle  of  July  on  my  return,  but  the  pressure  of  various  affairs 
after  an  absence  so  unusual  to  me  in  addition  to  my  ordinary  busi- 
ness compelled  me  to  lay  aside  several  letters  amongst  which  was 
yours,  until  I  could  find  some  leisiu-e.  I  was  disappointed  very 
much  not  to  see  more  of  you,  and  particularly  wished  to  talk  with 
you  about  Ergot,  though  not  with  a  design  to  persuade  you  to 
employ  it.  I  had  some  conversation  on  the  subject  with  your 
friends,  after  you  were  called  from  us  on  consultation,  little  sus- 
pecting that  then,  for  the  first  time,  you  were  to  see  some  evidence 
of  the  efficacy  of  the  article.  The  result  of  your  former  obser- 
vations was  indeed  very  extraordinary  to  me :  it  was  however,  only 
negative  evidence,  and  I  have  had  so  much  affirmative  evidence  on 
the  subject  since,  that  I  should  as  soon  doubt  the  efficacy  of  opium 
of  jalap,  or  of  antimony,  as  of  ergot. 

The  work  which  I  mentioned  to  you  was  Lordat's  "Traits  des 
Hemorrhages"  printed  in  Paris  in  1808.^    I  referred  to  Stark's 

1  Dr.  Jacques  Lordat  (1773-1857),  in  whose  "Treatise  on  Hem- 
orrhages" Dr.  Spalding  was  much  interested  (he  printed  several  cases 
of  this  sort  with  suggestive  treatment)  began  the  study  of  Theology, 
but  Revolutionary  mobs  destroyed  the  Institution  in  which  he  had  been 
placed  and  he  turned  to  medicine,  and  became  a  skillful  practitioner  in 
MontpelHcr,  France. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPOEIA     299 

"Dissections"^  only  for  evidence  in  respect  to  the  state  of  the 
blood  vessels  near  ulcerated  parts.  You  will  remember,  that  Van 
Swieten  points  out  the  scientific  distinctions  on  this  subject.  I 
think  that  some  remarks  appertaining  to  it  are  contained  in  Bichat's  ^ 
" Anatomic  General"  I  presume  that  you  have  read  that  work:  if 
you  have  not,  you  must. 

Accept  my  thanks  for  your  very  kind  attentions  to  me  while  I 
was  in  New  York.  I  felt  also  much  indebted  to  Dr.  Stevens,' 
with  whom  I  was  greatly  pleased.  I  should  be  very  happy  in  an 
opportunity  of  seeing  either  of  you  here,  and  shall  be  gratified  in 
attending  to  any  of  your  medical  friends  who  may  be  passing  this 
way.    Your  Friend,  and  obliged  Servant,  J.  Jackson." 

Dr.  Jackson's  allusion  to  ergot  was  based  on  the  circum- 
stance that  Dr.  Spalding  had  once  or  twice  written  rather 
vehemently  against  the  virtues  of  ergot,  denying  that  it  had 
value  at  all.  Later  on  he  apologized  to  Dr.  Stearns  of 
Albany*  who  had,  in  1807,  first  called  the  attention  of  the 
American  Profession  to  its  obstetric  usefuhiess,  and  ac- 
knowledged that  ergot  had  its  place  in  medicine. 

To  illustrate  the  every  day  remark  that  Dr.  Spalding 
knew  everybody  and  that  everybody  knew  him,  I  call  at- 
tention next  to  a  very  clever  letter  from  his  old  friend,  Gov. 
Plumer  of  New  Hampshire :  would  that  I  had  more  from  him 
to  find  a  place  in  this  book! 

1  William  Stark  (1740-1770)  was  a  favorite  of  John  Himters,  and 
one  of  those  meteoric  characters  who  flash  across  the  world,  occasion- 
ally. His  "Dissections"  was  based  on  his  Thesis  at  Ley  den.  He 
plunged  into  anatomical  studies  after  settling  in  London,  but  in  three 
years  was  dead. 

2  Frangois  Xavier  Bichat  (1771-1803)  was  another  brilUant  youth 
who  died  early  after  illuminating  the  medical  world  with  many  treatises 
in  rapid  succession.  His  great  works  on  "Anatomy"  and  on  "Mem- 
branes," were  admirably  composed. 

3  Alexander  Hodgdon  Stevens  (1789-1869)  studied  with  Sir  Astley 
Cooper,  and  as  the  son  of  an  influential  merchant  of  New  York,  ob- 
tained, on  settling  in  that  City,  many  remunerative  medical  positions, 
which  he  maintained  by  his  profound  medical  skill.  He  edited  Boyer's 
"Surgery,"  was  a  Surgeon  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  as  early  as  1807 
ligated  the  external  lUac.  He  wrote  also  "  On  the  Care  of  the  Insane," 
and  was  President  of  the  American  Medical  Society. 

*  John  Steams  (1770-1848),  the  actual  founder  of  the  New  York 
Medical  Society,  and  for  many  years  its  Secretary  and  President,  prac- 
ticed for  some  years  in  Albany,  but  happening  to  meet  a  series  of  fatal 
cases  of  Puerperal  Fever,  he  removed  to  greater  success  in  New  York. 
He  gave  his  life  to  medicine,  and  died  from  septicaemia  contracted  on 
duty.  Being  at  one  time  interested  in  psychology  he  wrote  an  essay 
"On  the  Morbid  Effects  of  the  Passions  on  Disease." 


300  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Epping,  N.  H.,  Oct.  24,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  This  week  I  received 
your  letter  -wdth  your  "Reflections  on  Fever,"  and  Report  of  the 
Ti"ustees  of  the  Free  Schools,  for  which  you  will  please  accept  my 
grateful  acknowledgments.  I  have  read  your  pamphlet  with  at- 
tention and  pleasure,  but  it  is  on  a  subject  with  which  I  am  not 
sufficiently  acquamted  to  decide  with  precision.  You  know  the 
low  state  of  the  Faculty  in  New  Hampshire.  We  have  scarce  any, 
who  write  on  the  subject  of  medicine,  and  of  the  great  body  of  our 
comitry  physicians  but  few  who  have  any  books  to  read,  and  what 
is  worse  they  have  httle  inclination  to  purchase  books,  to  read 
those  few  that  they  have,  or  to  investigate  the  complex  and  intri- 
cate subjects  of  their  profession.  These  facts  have  long  induced 
me  to  believe  that  in  many  cases,  the  patient  has  more  to  appre- 
hend from  the  ignorance  of  the  physician,  than  from  the  disease, 
and  that  it  is  safer  to  trust  to  nature  for  a  cure  than  to  rely  on  the 
prescriptions  of  those  whose  knowledge  is  limited  to  a  few  hard 
technical  terms.  With  us,  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Faculty  have 
made  less  progress  than  those  of  law  and  divinity:  the  latter,  in- 
deed, have  much  to  do  before  they  can  attain  real  eminence. 

In  your  profession  I  have  long  considered  it  a  desideratum  to 
have  an  able  but  simple  work,  accurately  describing  the  nature  and 
functions  of  the  several  parts  of  man  in  a  state  of  health,  the  effect 
or  changes  diseases  produce  on  each  of  those  parts  and  of  the 
remedies  for  those  diseases. 

I  would  pm'chase  and  read  such  a  work  with  pleasure,  and  that 
pleasure  would  be  enhanced  if  it  was  simple,  plain  and  free,  so  far 
as  the  nature  of  the  subject  would  admit,  from  abstruse  technical 
terms,  and  of  attachment  to  existing  theories.  Mystery  is  the 
enemy  of  improvement,  and  it  is  better  suited  to  prolong  the  reign 
of  ignorance  and  of  error  than  to  promote  that  of  truth  and  science. 
And,  the  knowledge  of  tilings  is  vastly  more  important  than  that 
of  words. 

I  really  wish  we  had  an  accurate  Journal  kept  in  different  sections 
of  our  Country  of  the  actual  state  of  the  weather,  the  crops,  the 
general  diet  and  regimen  of  our  citizens,  the  diseases  most  prevalent 
in  each,  their  type,  character  and  mode  of  treatment,  etc.,  so  as  to 
exhibit  the  means  by  which  health  was  preserved  and  lost  and  how 
far  they  depended  on  climate  and  modes  of  livmg.  Such  a  Society, 
I  think,  might  be  formed  of  Gentlemen  living  in  various  parts  of 
our  Country,  with  little  expense  and  from  whose  reports  much  in- 
formation could  be  obtained  which  would  be  useful  to  all,  and  par- 
ticularly to  Medical  Characters.  I  would  freely  contribute  to  such 
an  establishment. 

But,  I  am  wandering  from  the  object  of  this  letter,  which  was 
to  thank  you  for  your  Pamphlets  and  to  say,  that  if  you  or  the 
Historical  Society  of  N.  Y.,  should  need  any  of  the  few  pamphlets 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     301 

we  publish  here,  it  will  afford  me  pleasure  to  procure  and  transmit 
them.  I  remain  with  much  esteem  and  respect,  Yours,  etc., 
William  Plumer.^" 

Amongst  the  Southern  friends  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Spalding 
were  the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Martin  Luther  Hurlbut  of  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina.  How  they  first  met  I  have  never  dis- 
covered. Mr.  Hurlbut  was  graduated  at  Williams,  in  1804, 
and  preached  as  a  Unitarian  Clergyman  in  Charleston.  Dr. 
Spalding  as  Secretary  of  the  New  York  Historical  Society 
had  notified  him  of  his  election  to  membership  and  here  is 
his  reply. 

"Charleston,  S.  C,  Feb.  24,  1819.  My  Dear  Sir:  Two  days 
previous  to  the  receipt  of  your  letter,  I  met  Dr.  Clapp  by  accident, 
in  the  street,  and  he  paid  me  the  amount  of  your  bill.  I  hold  it 
subject  to  your  order.  I  would  enclose  it  in  this,  but  accidents 
are  so  frequent  in  the  mail,  that  I  think  it  better  to  wait  your 
directions. 

I  thank  you  for  your  attention  to  my  Httle  commissions,  and  I 
regret  that  I  should  have  been  so  vague  in  my  language  as  to  oc- 
casion you  any  uncertainty.  I  believe  my  indistinctness  was 
owing  to  an  impression  on  my  mind,  that  I  had  specified  to  you, 
when  in  N.  York,  that  it  was  the  CONGRESS  WATER  I  wished 
for.  I  must  express  to  you  how  much  I  was  gratified  by  the  in- 
formation conveyed  in  one  of  the  inclosures  in  your  letter.  I  beg 
you  to  accept  my  sincere  thanlis  for  your  individual  civility  and 
kindness,  the  high  sense  I  entertain  of  the  honour  conferred  upon 
me,  and  my  best  wishes  for  the  prosperity  of  those  important  in- 
terests to  the  promotion  of  which  its  efforts  are  devoted.  Yours 
Sincerely,  M.  L.  Hurlbut." 

Dr.  Thurston  offers  us  at  this  point  a  glimpse  of 
Portsmouth  and  we  can  now  understand  the  energy  which 
Dr.  Spalding  needed  to  collect  the  facts  for  his  Bills  of 
Mortahty. 

^  This  famous  politician  "received  religion"  when  a  mere  child  and 
soon  became  a  precocious  Revivalist  and  peripatetic  preacher  through- 
out New  Hampshire.  Tiring  of  that,  he  studied  law  which  he  hated, 
until  he  finally  found  it  of  use  to  him  in  pohtics  into  which  he  entered 
zealously  on  becoming  of  age.  He  served  one  term  as  Senator  from  New 
Hampshire  and  two  as  Governor  of  the  State.  His  eloquent  Thanks- 
giving Proclamations  were  plagiarized  throughout  the  United  States. 
He  became  notorious  in  the  Electoral  College  by  refusing  to  vote  for 
Munroe  (though  elected  to  represent  his  Party)  because  he  disapproved 
of  his  personal  monetary  embarrassments,  and  feared  that  they  pre- 
dicted extravagance  in  the  Administration. 


302  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Portsmouth,  April  11,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  I  forward  you  with 
this,  six  Bills  of  Mortality,  agreeable  to  your  request.  I  am  very 
sorry  to  inform  you  that  I  must  rehnquish  the  hope  of  completing 
the  Series,  and  for  the  following  reasons.  I  have  no  means  of 
forming  correct  hsts  of  the  deaths,  only  three  of  the  Clergymen 
having  kept  any  records  since  your  last  Bills.  In  the  next  place, 
the  memories  of  our  physicians  are  very  imperfect,  and  Cutter 
being  dead,  and  two  or  three  transient  ones  ha\'ing  escaped  us, 
altogether,  render  it  impossible  to  obtain  any  correct  histories  of 
the  diseases  of  those  that  deceased  in  the  intervening  years.  I 
have  examined  the  newspapers  with  a  reference  to  this  subject,  but 
they  afford  very  hmited  information. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  Pierrepont  and  Dwight  discouraged 
any  attempt.  I  did  hope  a  while  since  to  have  the  pleasure  to 
forward  you  a  large  sheet  containing  all  that  is  wanted,  but  shall 
now  be  content,  if  my  brethren  will  take  sufficient  interest  in  the 
thing  to  enable  me  to  make  correct  Bills  for  the  future. 

We  have  no  news  in  this  part  of  the  Medical  World.  Our  town 
is  at  this  time  very  healthy,  and  at  all  times,  what  with  the  health 
of  the  town,  the  number  of  Physicians  and  the  intrusion  of  quacks, 
it  is  a  barren  field  for  medical  enterprise.  We  had  an  unfortunate 
occm'rence  as  it  concerned  me  and  our  winter  labors,  in  the  dis- 
covery of  a  body  in  my  chamber.  Be  assured  of  my  being  Very 
Respectfully  yours,  John  Thurston." 

People  from  all  parts  of  the  country  seem  from  this  time 
on  to  have  been  constantly  intruding  upon  the  good  nature 
of  Dr.  Spalding  by  asking  innumerable  favors.  Thus  I 
have  before  me  a  letter  from  a  lawyer  in  Portsmouth  asking 
for  information  concerning  a  case  in  which  the  Captain  of  a 
■  ship  had  cast  her  away  fraudulently,  another  from  Governor 
Plumer  asking  for  books  to  be  chosen  and  forwarded  to  his 
country  residence,  one  from  Mr.  Hurlbut,  introducing  a 
clergyman  who  wishes  to  see  the  sights  of  New  York,  and 
here  is  a  touching  appeal  from  Virginia.  Of  the  writer.  Dr. 
J.  C.  Campbell  I  have  found  no  traces,  but  he  had  probably 
become  acquainted  with  Dr.  Spalding's  name  as  attached 
to  the  Circulars  concerning  the  Pharmacopoeia,  now  reach- 
ing every  American  Physician. 

"  Willsburgh,  Brooks  Co.,  Virginia,  Sept.  13,  1819.  Sir:  You  will 
please  excuse  the  liberty  I  now  take  in  troubling  you  on  this  occa- 
.sion,  being  with  you  in  a  personal  view  totally  unacquainted, 
though  fortunately  not  so  with  your  cliaractcr.  In  fact,  it  is  on 
the  latter  I  depend,  not  only  for  an  excuse,  but  for  compliance  with 
my  request.    Being  unacquainted  with  any  gentlemen  in  your  City 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     303 

on  whom  I  could  depend,  I  have  taken  the  Uberty  for  the  above 
reason  to  request  that  you  should  make  inquiries  in  the  N.  Y. 
Hospital,  for  a  young  man  named  B.  Wells. 

He  entered  the  Hospital  in  July  being  taken  with  a  fever  which 
he  caught  on  his  way  from  New  Orleans.  Immediately  after  hi? 
admission  he  wrote  his  parents,  but  since,  they  have  not  heart! 
from  him.  They  being  totally  unacquainted  in  that  place,  and  no:- 
knowing  how  to  act,  have  requested  that  I  should  make  this  appli- 
cation, and  save  them  the  trouble  and  expense  incident  to  such  a 
long  journey.  Humanity,  I  hope,  will  be  sufficient  inducement 
for  you  to  make  the  inquiry  wanted  and  also  take  the  trouble  of 
writing  me  the  account  of  their  son  as  soon  as  possible.  By  so 
doing  you  will  reheve  afflicted  parents  and  obUge  your  Most  Ob'd't 
J.  C.  Campbell. 

N.  B.  Being  unacquainted  with  your  address  and  anxious  that 
information  might  be  rec'd  by  some  means,  I  have  written  not  only 
to  you,  but  to  the  Hospital,  lest  it  might  miss  you." 

One  of  Dr.  Spalding's  patients  at  this  time  was  Mrs. 
Trevett,  the  wife  of  a  Hero  who  in  these  days  would  have 
deserved  the  Carnegie  Medal,  though  he  might  not  have 
received  it,  owing  to  the  Red  Tape  which  so  seriously  inter- 
feres with  its  proper  distribution. 

Samuel  Russel  Trevett,  U.  S.  N.  (1783-1832),  obtained  his 
academical  and  medical  degrees  at  Harvard,  practiced  in 
Boston,  and  then  served  so  ably  as  Surgeon's  Mate  in  the 
Navy  in  the  War  of  1812,  that  he  was  commended  pub- 
lically  for  bravery  and  skill.  Commodore  Decatur  asked 
for  his  services  before  his  fatal  duel  with  Barron.  As  a  pas- 
senger on  the  Steamer  "Phoenix"  which  was  burnt  on  Lake 
Champlain  in  September,  1819,  he  saved  many  lives. 

He  then  wished  to  resign  from  the  Navy,  but  reluctantly 
consenting  to  remain,  it  proved  his  ruin  and  his  death.  For, 
at  a  Court  Martial  he  offended  a  superior  officer  by  his 
testimony,  and  was,  out  of  spleen,  ordered  to  a  vessel  in- 
ferior to  his  rank.  Accepting  this  degradation,  he  never- 
theless protested  against  the  ''Peacock"  being  sent  to  Cuba, 
then  reeking  with  Yellow  Fever.  The  orders  were  insisted 
upon,  many  of  the  crew  fell  ill,  several  died.  Thereupon, 
the  "Peacock"  was  ordered  home,  but  directly  upon  her 
arrival  Dr.  Trevett  died,  also,  from  the  Yellow  Fever. 

It  will  be  seen  from  his  brief  letter  that  Dr.  Spalding  had 
written  to  him  in  Boston,  concerning  the  condition  of  Mrs. 
Trevett,  at  that  time  ill  in  New  York,  and  under  his  care. 


304  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

"Boston,  April  24,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  Accept  my  thanks  for 
your  letters.  I  am  happy  to  find  by  them  that  Mrs.  Trevett's 
health  and  strength  are  improvuig.  The  train  of  unpleasant 
sjonptoms  which  arose  while  I  was  at  New  York,  was  extremely 
alarming,  and  there  is  no  room  to  doubt  it  was  interrupted  by  the 
judicious  exliibition  of  your  medicine.  I  feel  grateful  to  you  for 
all  your  attentions.  As  my  Father  is  going  to  N.  York,  I  thought 
it  might  be  pleasing  to  you  to  have  the  book  from  Dr.  Jackson,^ 
transmitted  by  hun.  He  will  probably  remain  there  ten  or  12  days, 
and  will  take  it  back  with  him,  or  you  can  keep  it  till  my  visit,  as 
most  agreeable  to  yourself. 

The  letter  for  Mr.  Austin  ^  I  gave  to  his  Brother,  Elbridge  Gerry » 
and  who  I  supposed  would  dehver  it  sooner  than  I  could.  A  few 
days  ago  I  had  a  letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Alden.  He  and  family  are 
well  and  he  informed  me  Martha  was  agreeably  married  to  Patrick 
Farrelly,  a  worthy  gentleman  of  the  bar,  at  Meadville.  With  Re- 
spectful Sentiments,  I  am  Sir,  Yours,  S.  N.  Trevett." 

A  few  months  later  Dr.  Spalding  was  made  happy  by  this 
unexpected  gift  from  Dr.  Trevett. 

"Boston,  Oct.  19,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  You  will  confer  upon  me  a 
particular  favor  by  accepting  the  enclosed  note  of  $100,  the  first 
that  I  have  received  since  my  return  to  this  place.  I  beg  you  to 
rest  assured  that  no  man  can  feel  a  more  grateful  sense  of  your  un- 
wearied zeal  and  kindness  than  I  do  for  those  you  have  bestowed 
on  myself  and  my  family. 

I  am  very  Respectfully,  Your  much  obliged  servant,  S.  N. 
Trevett." 

The  following  letter  from  Dr.  Shattuck  tells  of  his  accident 
and  illness,  of  which  I  find  no  mention  elsewhere. 

"Boston,  May  7,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  Dr.  Tho's  Sewall «  late  of 
Ipswich  in  this  State,  a  physician  of  respectability,  hands  you  this. 
He  desires  to  render  the  present,  a  journey  of  improvement;  any 
attentions  you  may  show  him,  not  inconvenient  to  yourself,  will 
confer  a  favor  on  me. 

1  "The  Book"  was  Lordat  "On  Hemorrhages." 

2  Mr.  Austin  was  a  Portsmouth  Merchant. 

'  Elbridge  Gerry  was  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts  who  "Gerry- 
mandered" that  State,  much  to  his  political  disadvantage. 

*  Dr.  Sewall  (1787-1845)  practiced  in  Ipswich  and  Essex,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  the  author  of  many  medical  papers.  He  finally 
moved  to  Washington  where  he  served  as  Professor  of  Anatomy  in  the 
Columbian  University.  He  investigated  the  "Pathology  of  Drunken- 
ness," wrote  a  treatise  on  this  subject,  and  after  its  translation  into 
Gorman,  he  obtained  an  international  reputation  as  an  original  investi- 
gator of  the  effects  of  alcohol. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     305 

Very  many  sins  of  omission  have  I  been  guilty  of  toward  you,  in 
not  having  repUed  to  your  letters.  Your  pamphlet  "On  Continued 
Fever"  arrived  just  as  I  was  convalescing  from  a  Typhus  Gravior. 
The  book  I  read  with  much  care  intending  to  furnish  you  with 
strictures,  but  before  I  had  completed  my  determination,  an 
accident  which  had  threatened  my  hfe,  disabled  me  for  several 
weeks.  Your  enterprise  in  having  prepared  a  National  Pharma- 
copoeia, I  verily  believe  will  attain  a  prosperous  conclusion. 

I  will  wiite  you  soon,  and  more  in  detail.  With  great  Respect, 
I  have  the  Honor  to  be,  My  Dear  Sir,  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't.,  Geo.  C. 
Shattuck," 

Whilst  Dartmouth  was  passing  through  her  ordeals  with 
the  State,  Dr.  Alexander  Ramsay  seeing  a  chance  to  in- 
corporate in  New  Hampshire  his  private  medical  school,  now 
in  Fryeburg,  Maine,  visited  Concord  in  June,  1819,  and 
spoke  before  the  Legislature  and  the  Medical  Society. 
Writing  concerning  this  and  other  items  he  mentions  his 
pupil  Dr.  Richard  Russell  (1785-1835),  who  practiced  in 
Great  Falls,  New  Hampshire. 

"Concord,  N.  H.,  June  6,  1819.  My  Dear  Sir:  Long  since,  im- 
mediately in  course,  I  transmitted  a  certificate  which  to  me  ap- 
peared for  your  interest  with  the  Board  of  Pennsylvania  College. 

You  have  not  said  how  events  turned  out,  neither  have  you 
noticed  the  business  I  took  the  liberty  of  troubling  you  with.  I 
know  you  are  much  engaged.  Pray  favor  me  with  a  line  by  the 
bearer  my  former  pupil  Dr.  Russell.  I  presume  you  would  take  it 
ill,  did  I  not  hand  you  my  communication  which  was  delivered 
before  the  Legislature  and.  Medical  Society  of  this  State. 
Assure  Mrs.  Spalding  that  I  recollect  her  and  her  family  with 
interest.    Beheve  me,  Dear  Sir,  Your  Friend,  Alex.  Ramsay." 

Ramsay  returned  to  Concord  in  the  following  year  with 
a  fine  display  of  preparations,  many  of  which  had  been  made 
by  Dr.  Spalding,  and  once  more  urged  his  claims  before  the 
Medical  Society,  but  had  leave  to  withdraw;  one  medical 
School  in  the  State,  that  at  Dartmouth,  was  enough. 

This  is  now  a  suitable  place  to  insert  some  letters  from  Dr. 
Usher  Parsons  (1788-1868),  of  the  U.  S.  Navy,  a  very  in- 
timate friend  of  Dr.  Spalding,  and  his  family.  This  dis- 
tinguished physician  was  born  in  Alfred,  Maine,  and  after 
studying  with  Dr.  Warren  in  Boston  was  appointed  Sur- 
geon's Mate  in  the  Navy  and  ordered  to  the  Canadian 
frontier.     Fortunately  for  him,  both  of  his  superior  medical 


306  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

oflEicers  were  ill,  so  that  the  care  of  the  sick  fell  wholly  on 
him ;  at  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie  he  was  the  only  surgeon  on 
duty.  During  that  conflict  he  attended  to  over  one  hun- 
dred wounded  and  saved  all  but  three.  For  his  skill  and  in- 
trepidity under  fire  he  was  at  once  promoted  to  full  Surgeon. 
He  continued  his  studies  after  the  War  of  1812,  and  ob- 
tained a  degree  at  Bro-^m  University,  where  he  was  later 
elected  Professor  of  Physiology  and  Anatomy.  After  re- 
tiring from  the  Nayj^  he  practiced  in  Providence,  Phode 
Island.  He  wrote  many  papers,  one  of  which  "On  a  Re- 
markable Gun  Shot  Wound  of  the  Thorax,"  and  another, 
"On  the  Introduction  of  Medicine  into  the  System  through 
the  Veins,"  were  highly  regarded.  He  also  wrote  two  books 
that  were  famous:  "The  Sailor's  Physician,"  and  "A  Life 
of  Pepperell." 

He  was  repeatedly  elected  President  of  the  State  Medical 
Society,  and  altogether  was  a  man  far  above  the  level  of  the 
practitioners  of  his  era.  I  like  to  think  of  Usher  Parsons 
because  he  gave  my  Father  a  fishing  line  and  sinker  to  use 
off  of  the  wharves  of  New  York  City. 

Dr.  Parsons  at  this  time  had  been  at  Alfred  on  leave  and 
had  visited  Portsmouth  to  see  relatives  in  New  Castle,  his 
Mother  having  been  Miss  Abigail  Frost  Blunt  of  that  vil- 
lage. Reaching  Boston,  he  had  found  a  note  from  Dr. 
Spalding  asking  him  to  advertise  the  business  of  the  Pharma- 
copoeia, and  here  is  his  reply. 

"Boston,  July  1st,  1818.  Dear  Doctor:  I  returned  this  morning 
from  the  Eastward,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  your  favor,  in 
the  Post  Office.  Mr.  Hale,  Editor  of  the  "Daily  Advertiser  and 
Weekly  Messenger"  appeared  very  wiUing  to  insert  the  paragraph 
concerning  your  Pharmacopeia,  and  the  paper  containing  it  shall 
be  forwarded  tomorrow.  Since  I  last  wrote  you,  the  faculty  of 
this  town  and  State  have  expressed  themselves  more  favorably 
toward  the  Pharmacopoeia  than  formerly,  and  I  have  no  doubt  will 
co-operate  with  the  New  York  Medical  Societies.  .  .  .  Your  re- 
quest respecting  the  odd  volume  shall  be  properly  attended  to.^ 
I  am  sorry  that  my  absence  prevented  my  receiving  your  letter 
earlier,  particularly  on  account  of  the  package  you  purposed  scnd- 

1  The  odd  volume  was  needed  to  complete  a  set  of  Mayor's  "Works" 
which  my  Grandfather  had  given  as  a  wedding  present  to  his  wife. 
Oddly  enough  this  missing  volume  which,  as  we  shall  later  sec,  Dr. 
Parsons  could  not  discover  in  1819,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  in 
1913,  and  so  completed  the  Set, 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     307 

ing  by  me  to  Europe,  as  I  fear  there  will  be  hardly  time  for  it  to 
reach  me  before  we  sail.  I,  however,  think  that  if  you  have  it  in 
readiness  when  this  reaches  you,  it  will  answer  to  forward  it  to  me 
as  we  shall  probably  not  sail  under  a  week  from  this.  At  any  rate 
it  can  with  perfect  safety  be  sent  by  a  Merchant  vessel  to  Russia, 
where  it  will  find  me  as  late  as  October,  and  ours  being  the  only 
American  Frigate  in  that  quarter  can  be  very  readily  found  by  any 
Merchant  vessel  that  is  about  to  sail  there.  Your  friends  in  Ports- 
mouth, I  was  yesterday  informed  were  all  well.  I  shall  be  glad  to 
execute  any  farther  commands  for  you  in  Russia,  London,  France  or 
the  Mediterranean. 

Accept  for  yourself  and  family,  the  best  respects  of  Your  Friend 
and  Servant,  Usher  Parsons." 

In  his  second  letter  Dr.  Parsons  writes: 

"Naples,  May  30,  1819.  Dear  Doctor:  I  am  favored  with  an 
opportunity  of  writing  you  by  a  gentleman  now  bound  to  New 
York.  I  was  disappointed  in  my  expectations  of  seeing  London  on 
my  way  to  Petersburg,  and  of  course  was  unable  to  attend  to  your 
request  concerning  some  books  that  you  wished  to  purchase.  Our 
ship  wintered  in  Messina  (Sicily)  from  which  we  sailed  for  this 
place  a  few  weeks  since.  During  our  stay  here,  I  have  been  favoured 
with  an  introduction  to  some  of  the  leading  members  of  the  Medical 
faculty,  among  whom  is  Chevalier  Assihni,i  author  of  a  work  "On 
the  Plague,"  translated  by  (our)  Dr.  MUler.  He  has  also  written 
on  diseases  of  the  Eye  and  described  some  improvements  of  his 
own  on  instruments  for  making  an  artificial  pupil;  and  other  works 
on  various  professional  subjects,  copies  of  which  he  was  kind  enough 
to  present  me.  But  the  greatest  effort  of  his  genius  has  been 
directed  to  the  improvement  of  nearly  all  surgical  instruments,  or 
rather  to  the  alteration  of  them,  for,  in  my  humble  opinion,  careful 
and  candid  investigators  will  report  only  partially  in  favour  of  his 
alterations,  and  say  he  has  improved  upon  about  half  of  those  he 
has  altered.  I  believe  some  account  of  them  has  appeared  in  the 
London  Medical  Journal.  He  presented  me  with  a  set  of  Plates  of 
his  instruments,  which  I  hope  to  have  an  opportunity  ere  long  of 
exhibiting  for  your  inspection.  I  showed  him  your  circular  con- 
cerning your  projected  Pharmacopoeia,  a  copy  of  which  he  desired 
to  possess  as  soon  as  it  was  published. 

1  Piero  Assilini  (1765-1840)  was  educated  at  Milan,  and  practiced 
Obstetrics  and  Surgery.  He  followed  Napoleon  as  Military  Surgeon, 
for  years,  and  after  recovering  from  the  plague  wrote,  in  conjunction 
with  Larrey,  the  book  which  Dr.  Parsons  mentions.  His  "Treatise 
on  the  Eye"  appeared  in  1811.  He  later  served  as  surgeon  to  St.  Am- 
brose's Hospital  in  Milan  and  his  improvements  in  obstetrical  forceps 
were  highly  praised. 


308  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

It  was  this  gentleman  that  Sir  Robert  Wilson  ^  mentions  to  have 
been  requested  by  Bonaparte  to  poison  the  French  soldiers  at 
Jaffa,  but  he  denies  the  fact  as  Sir  Robert  first  states  it,  and  has 
made  him,  in  part,  retract  his  assertions. 

The  Chevaher  was  an  intimate  companion  of  Larrey,  was  in  all 
the  campaigns  mth  him,  and  received  the  same  honorary  titles 
from  the  Emperor. 

The  phj^sician  of  the  City  Hospital  has  just  favored  me  with  an 
account  of  a  Csesarean  Operation  lately  performed,  some  particulars 
of  which  I  "ndll  mention.  The  subject  had  been  very  much  de- 
formed by  the  rickets,  was  about  3  feet  10  inches  high.  The  in- 
cision was  made  in  the  Linea  Alba,  extending  from  the  umbilicus 
to  the  pubis,  and  the  foetus  removed  without  much  difficulty.  The 
patient  bore  the  operation  very  well  and  bade  fair  for  a  recovery, 
but  was  attacked  with  violent  symptomatic  fever  on  the  fifth  day 
and  died  on  the  seventh.  The  child  is  now  doing  well,  is  two 
months  old,  and  I  think  of  the  usual  size  for  that  age.  I  mention 
this  Case,  because  the  operation  is  a  rare  one  and  seldom  more 
successful.  It  has,  however,  been  performed  in  France  within  the 
year  past,  with  complete  success  to  both  Mother  and  Child.  We 
sail  from  this  to  Barbary  and  Gibraltar,  and  thence  to  Marseilles, 
where  I  expect  to  leave  the  Ship  and  return  home  through  Paris 
and  London.  Accept,  Dear  Sir,  the  most  Friendly  Regards,  of 
your  ISIost  Obed't  Usher  Parsons." 

In  Dr.  Parsons'  third  letter  we  get  a  wonderful  view  of 
Parisian  Medicine  and  Surgery. 

"Paris,  November  29,  1819.  Dear  Doctor:  Having  been  busily 
engaged  for  two  or  three  months  in  attending  Hospitals  and  Medical 
Schools,  I  have  thought  that  it  would  be  probable  that  you  might  feel 
some  curiosity  to  know  how  I  have  found  them.  These  establish- 
ments are  so  numerous  and  employ  so  many  Lecturers  and  Professors, 
that  strangers  at  first  sight  would  believe  that  the  entire  attention 
of  the  whole  city  is  directed  toward  them.  I  have  attended  the  lec- 
tures of  some  whose  names  are  familiar  to  you,  particularly  Dubois,^ 

1  Sir  Robert  Wilson  (1777-1849)  took  part  in  all  the  great  battles  of 
the  Napoleonic  era  and  then  served  as  Governor  of  Gibraltar.  During 
the  riot  connected  with  the  obsequies  of  Queen  Caroline,  Sir  Robert 
sided  with  the  populace  and  was  dismissed  the  service.  Obtaining  a 
seat  in  Parhamcnt  he  was  re-instated.  His  fame  is  based  chiefly  upon 
his  success  in  obtaining  abolition  of  corporeal  punishment  in  the  Army. 

2  Anton  Dubois  (1756-1837)  studied  with  Desault,  rose  high  in 
surgery,  and  was  Professor  of  that  art  in  the  Ecole  Chirurgicale.  He 
was  clever,  dexterous,  and  of  great  presence  of  mind  in  those  emer- 
gencies which  were  much  more  dangerous  in  days  before  ether  than  now. 
Renowned  as  an  obstetrician,  he  was  embarrassed  in  managing  the 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPGEIA     309 

Dupuytren/  Albert  and  Larrey,  on  Surgery,  and  Vauquelin,^  Gay 
Lussac,^  Thenard,^  and  Hauy^  on  Chemistry.      It  is  difficult  to 

Empress  in  child-bed,  so  that  Napoleon  had  to  say  to  him,  "Don't  be 
afraid  of  the  Empress;  treat  her  just  as  you  would  the  wife  of  a  grena- 
dier of  my  body-guard." 

1  Guillaume  Dupuytren  (1777-1825)  was  famous  but  terribly  jeal- 
ous of  his  contemporaries.  He  acted  as  surgeon  at  the  assassination  of 
the  Due  du  Berri,  and  was  bold  enough  to  enlarge  the  cardiac  wound 
made  by  the  murderer's  knife,  with  a  view  of  obtaining  better  purchase 
for  sutures.  The  result  was,  however,  fatal.  Dupuytren  once  charged 
$400  and  expenses  for  visiting  a  patient  at  Brussels  and  performing  a 
minor  operation.  "Dupuytren's  Contraction"  (of  the  fingers)  remains 
a  classic  in  surgery  to  this  day  and  is  likely  to  endure  forever. 

^  Louis  Nicholas  Vauquelin  (1763-1829)  was  driven  from  home  be- 
cause he  would  rather  read  than  labor.  He  settled  in  Paris  and  became 
a  renowned  chemist  in  spite  of  the  machinations  of  his  rivals.  He 
wrote  indefatigably  on  the  chemical  industries  of  France,  and  cultivated 
the  manufacture  of  Iron,  Alum,  and  Wine. 

^  If  fertility  of  expression  of  permanently  valuable  thoughts  is  a 
test  of  greatness,  then  Jean  Louis  Gay  Lussac  (1778-1850)  was  the 
greatest  chemist  of  all  time,  for  his  works  outnumbered  in  worthy 
contents,  those  of  all  other  men  of  this  profession.  He  also  took  early 
to  ballooning,  rose  higher  in  the  air  than  any  aeronauts  of  his  time, 
and  in  so  doing  made  many  high-level  experiments.  A  story  is  cur- 
rent of  his  dropping  from  a  balloon  to  lighten  it,  a  chair,  which  in- 
vitingly and  much  to  her  amazement,  fell  alongside  a  maid  who  was 
milking  a  cow.  Gay  Lussac  exploited  iodine  and  cyanogen,  and  at  one 
time  injured  his  eyes  by  an  explosion.  He  was  of  immense  service  to 
France  by  inventing  a  means  of  determining  instantaneously  the  per- 
centage of  alcohol  m  liquors.  Having  in  mind  on  his  death  bed  the 
possibilities  of  electricity  in  carrying  thought  and  speech  to  a  distance 
he  said,  "What  a  pity  to  die,  when  things  are  looking  so  interesting." 

^  Baron,  Louis  Jacques  Thenard  (1777-1857)  was  studjdng  with 
Lavoisier  when  that  extraordinary  chemist  was  condemned  to  the 
guillotine.  Thenard  was  Professor  of  Chemistry  at  the  Polyteclmique, 
discovered  the  exquisitely  beautiful  blue  which  bears  his  name,  and  was 
an  inseparable  friend  of  Gay  Lussac. 

Thenard  accidentally  swallowed  corrosive  sublimate  in  the  presence 
of  his  Class,  and  then  said:  "My  Children,  I  am  a  dead  man,  for  I 
have  taken  sublimate  by  mistake."  The  scholars  dashed  from  the  Hall, 
pillaged  adjacent  grocery  shops  for  eggs,  gave  him  all  the  white  of  egg 
that  his  stomach  would  stand  and  he  was  saved.  After  long  suffering 
from  gastritis  Thenard's  reception  upon  returning  to  the  scene  of  his 
lectures  was  the  most  touching  exhibition  of  pubhc  affection  ever 
known  in  Paris. 

6  Rene  Just  Hauy  (1743-1832),  an  Abbe,  was  a  mineralogist.  As  a 
Priest  he  was  proscribed  during  the  Revolution  but  escaped  the  Sep- 
tember Massacres  of  1792.  His  treatise  "On  Mineralogy"  was  a 
chef  d'oeuvre.  At  his  death  the  Nation  purchased  his  minerals  and 
gems. 


310  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

determine  which  surgeon  to  rank  first,  Dubois  or  Dupuytren. 
These  two  are  the  oldest,  but  Dupuj-tren  has  been  at  the  head 
of  "the  Hotel  Dieu  several  years,  and  during  that  time  has  per- 
formed more  operations  than  all  the  other  surgeons  in  Paris.  I  am 
\s'iUing  to  acknowledge  him  the  best  operator  I  have  ever  seen, 
although  I  think  very  highly  of  Dubois  and  Larrey.  Larrey  is 
surgeon  to  the  Hospital  of  the  King's  Guards,  wliich  is  but  a  small 
establishment.  An  opinion  prejudicial  to  him  prevails,  that  he  is 
too  fond  of  cutting:  that  he  has  frequently  amputated  where  it 
was  not  necessary.  Medical  men  are  permitted  to  see  his  patients 
every  Thursday,  when  he  gives  a  particular  liistory  of  each  case, 
and  performs  some  operation.  The  last  time  I  was  there  I  took 
the  liberty  of  introducing  myself  to  him,  which  he  gave  me  no 
reason  to  regret  doing.  He  inquired  closely  about  the  Hospitals 
in  our  country.  I  have  found  physicians  here,  very  ignorant  of 
the  State  of  Medical  Science  with  us,  and  yet  very  desirous  to  be 
better  informed.  This  circumstance  has  induced  me  to  supply 
one  of  the  Medical  Journals  with  a  description  of  j^our  contemplated 
National  Pharmacopoeia.^  I  have  also  had  the  honor  to  become 
acquainted  with  Puiel  ^  and  Cu\'ier.^  Pinel  is  now  far  advanced  in 
life,  whilst  Cu\der  is  going  deeply  into  politics.  He  has  been 
recently  elected  a  Peer  of  France,  and  is  a  leading  ultra  royalist 
and  a  noisy  one,  too,  at  that.  Sir  Humphrey  Davy  ■*  passed  through 
here  lately  on  his  way  to  Italy,  but  he  was  very  much  inclined  to 
look  askant  at  everything  in  medicine,  surgery,  or  chemistry  as 
either  unimportant  or  borrowed  from  England.  Your  friend  in 
medicine.  Usher  Parsons." 

^  In  annotating  this  letter  I  have  to  say  that  when  the  attention  of 
Louis  XVIII  was  called  to  the  paper  by  Dr.  Parsons  in  wliich  mention 
was  made  of  the  proposal  by  Dr.  Spalding  for  an  American  Pharma- 
copana,  he  directed  the  Pharmacopoeia  Gallica  to  be  continued  until 
completed. 

^  Phillipe  Pinel  (1745-1826)  came  to  Paris  before  the  Revolution 
and  became  first  known  medically  by  his  translation  of  CuUcn's  "  Nosol- 
ogy." His  fame  was  extended  by  his  unbounded  exertions  in  freeing 
lunatics  from  chains.  He  was  the  First  Great  French  Alienist,  and  very 
successful  in  obtaining  the  lives  of  men  proscribed  in  the  Revolution. 
Proscribed  himself,  he  escaped  and  lived  long  to  labor  for  the  amelio- 
ration of  the  Insane.  Pinel  was  present,  as  a  National  Guardsman,  at 
the  Guillotining  of  Louis  XVI,  and  wrote  an  exact  account  of  the  affair, 
which  has  become  historical. 

*  Georges  Charles  Leofric  Cuvier  (1789-182.3)  was  The  Naturalist 
of  his  era;  a  genius  in  comparative  anatomy  and  Natural  History. 
Po8se3.sed  of  a  wonderful  memory  he  learned  his  facts,  and  then  without 
notes  composed  his  papers  for  publication. 

*  Sir  Humphrey  Davy  (1778-1829)  whom  Dr.  Parsons  met  in  Paris 
was  England's  Greatest  Benefactor  by  his  discovery  of  the  Miner's 

afety  Lamp,  January  9,  1816. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOP(EIA     311 

We  now  come  to  the  last  letter  of  this  interesting  series 
from  Dr.  Parsons. 

"Ship  "Harmony,"  At  Sea,  January  16,  1820.  Dear  Dr.  I  called 
at  the  book  store  in  St.  Paul's  Church  Yard  as  you  desired,  and  in- 
quired for  Mayor's  Travels,  but  found  the  old  bookseller  you 
mentioned  had  discontinued  business,  and  that  the  book  store  had 
not  a  single  volume,  nor  even  a  whole  set  of  that  work.  I  called 
also  at  several  stores  where  odd  volumes  of  publications  are  sold, 
and  believe  I  could  have  purchased  separate  volumes  of  almost  any 
work  that  could  be  mentioned  excepting  this  particular  one,  nor 
could  I  find  even  a  whole  set  of  Mavor  ^  in  but  one  book  store  in 
London.  ...  I  have  passed  a  month  in  the  medical  schools  and 
Hospitals  of  London  much  to  my  satisfaction  and  I  hope,  im- 
provement. Although  I  think  better  of  the  Paris  Schools  for 
Anatomy  and  Surgery,  yet  the  other  branches,  particularly  Path- 
ology and  Therapeutics  are  better  understood  and  taught  by  the 
London  professors  than  by  those  of  Paris.  Were  I  to  be  asked  which 
surgeon  of  London  enjoys  the  highest  reputation,  it  would  puzzle  me 
to  answer.  Mr.  Abernethy  ^  is  undoubtedly  the  most  engaging, 
and  valuable  lecturer.  Mr.  A.  Cooper  has  the  most  practice. 
Charles  Bell  has  contributed  most  for  the  Press,  yet  Sir  Everard 
Home,^  Sir  Wm.  BUzzard,^  and  Mr.  CUne  Sem.  are  considered  by 

1  WiUiam  Fordyce  Mavor  (1758-1837)  taught  school  at  Woodstock, 
England,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough,  compiled 
many  books  for  instruction,  and  his  "Voyages,  Travels  and  British 
Tourist,"  in  30  Volumes  is  a  Classic  though  now  sadly  neglected.  No 
Collection  of  this  sort  ever  met  with  such  success  as  did  this  by  Mavor. 

2  John  Abernethy  (1764-1831),  surgeon  to  St.  Bartholomew,  was  an 
enthusiastic  Hunterian,  and  in  his  lecture  thoroughly  exploited  the 
specimens  from  Hunter's  Museum.  When  young,  he  was  bold  as  a 
surgeon,  but  with  age  became  too  conservative.  His  great  hobby  was, 
the  constitutional  origin  of  local  diseases.  He  was  an  inspired  and 
dramatic  lecturer,  but  of  an  unfortunate  di£,position,  probably  due  to  a 
latent  heart  disease. 

2  Sir  Everard  Home  (1756-1832)  was  a  pupil  and  brother-in-law  of 
John  Hunter,  served  briefly  as  a  Surgeon  in  the  British  Navy,  and  then 
built  up  a  magnificent  London  practice.  He  aided  Hunter  in  his  lectures 
and  practice  but  after  Hunter's  death  was  accused  of  destroying  his 
priceless  MSS.,  after  plagiarizing  from  them  for  his  own  fame. 

He  was  always  "Going  to"  arrange  Hunter's  papers  but  never 
finished  the  task.  Anne  Home,  his  Sister,  was  Mrs.  John  Hunter,  and 
author  of  the  words  of  Haydn's  tremendously  successful  song  "My 
Mother  bids  me  bind  my  hair." 

*  Sir  William  Bhzzard  (1743-1835)  founded  the  London  Hospital 
Medical  School,  and  was  surgeon  to  St.  Bartholomew's.  He  was  called 
a  "Respectable"  lecturer  and  a  great  stickler  for  forms.  It  was  amus- 
ing to  see  him  "Dressed  to  kill"  in  a  Court  Uniform,  receiving  officially, 


312  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

the  profession  as  equal  if  not  superior  to  either  of  the  above,  and  if 
they  have  contributed  less  for  the  Press  their  writings  are  of  rather 
a  superior  stamp. 

Besides  these,  there  are  a  host  of  young  surgeons  striving  for  emi- 
nence; as  Lawrence,^  young  CUne,  etc.  A  great  difference  between 
the  Paris  and  London  Schools  is  in  the  expense  of  attending  them. 
A  ticket  for  lectures  on  any  branch  in  London  is  about  the  same  price 
as  in  Philadelphia,  although  the  course  is  but  about  half  the  length, 
wliile  in  Paris  the  lectures  are  free.  The  price  of  a  subject  in  London 
is  from  2  to  5  Guineas  in  Paris  from  thirty  to  forty  Cents. 

A  great  degree  of  harmony  prevails  among  the  professors  in 
London,  perhaps  more  than  in  Paris,  with  the  exception  of  a  little 
squabble  between  Abernethy  and  Lawrence,^  which  took  place  a 
year  or  two  since,  and  which  ended  in  the  discomfiture  of  Law- 
rence, nothing  has  occurred  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the  Profession. 

Among  the  American  books  on  Medicine  and  its  collateral 
branches  that  have  found  their  way  to  Europe,  no  one  has  been 
so  well  received  as  Cleaveland's  "Mineralogy,"  and  Gorham's 
"Chemistry.^"  Cleaveland's  will  be  reprinted  and  generally  cir- 
culated through  England,  and  Mr.  Brande  *  told  me  that  he  con- 
in  the  dead  house,  the  bodies  of  the  lately  hanged.  His  pamphlet  "  On 
pressure  in  the  blood  vessels,"  met  with  a  good  reception,  medically. 
He  was  very  proud  of  his  poetry,  especially  of  his  "Ode  on  the  Opening 
of  the  London  Hospital,"  and  used  to  have  Consultation  Hours  at  a 
Coffee  House  in  Cornhill. 

1  Sn  William  Lawrence  (1783-1867)  studied  with  Abernethy,  dem- 
onstrated for  him,  and  succeeded  him  as  Surgeon  at  St.  Bartholomew's 
and  Lecturer  at  the  London  Hospital  Medical  School.  He  was  a  man 
of  sound  judgement  and  a  fair  operator.  He  wUl  remain  long  known 
for  his  "Diseases  of  the  Eye"  one  of  the  earUest  and  one  of  the  best 
books  on  that  organ  ever  written. 

*  The  "Squabble"  between  Lawrence  and  Abernethy  was  this. 
Lawrence  pubhshed  in  1819  a  "Lecture  on  Physiology,  Zoology,  and 
Natural  History  of  Man"  which  was  saturated  with  Materialism,  a 
sentiment  which  compelled  Abernethy  and  his  colleagues  to  hold  up 
their  hands  in  holy  horror  as  contrary  to  Sacred  Writ.  Lawrence  put  a 
bold  face  on  his  "blasphemy"  but  in  order  to  quiet  the  storm  which  he 
had  raised  he  exjiortcd  the  entire  edition  of  the  book  to  America.  When 
peace  once  more  reigned,  the  "Lectures"  appeared  in  many  editions. 

'  John  Gorham  (1783-1829),  a  friend  and  associate  of  Dr.  Spalding 
in  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  Erving  Professor  of  Chemistry  at  Harvard. 
His  text  book  on  Chemistry  was  as  highly  praised  at  home  as  abroad. 

*  William  Thomas  Brande  (1 788-1 8G6)  was  an  apothecary  in  Lon- 
don, then  a  chemist  and  finally  the  successor  to  Sir  Humphrey  Davy. 
He  was  very  intimate  with  Home  who  gave  him  much  analytic  work 
to  do.  Brando  was  a  man  of  high  renown  but  was  neither  a  Davy,  nor 
a  Faraday.  Ilis  " Dictionary  of  Pharmacy"  was  one  of  the  most  useful 
books  ever  put  into  the  handa  of  students. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     313 

sidered  Gorham's  "Chemistry,"  a  most  excellent  and  complete 
digest  of  everything  at  present  known  on  that  science.  Rush: 
"On  the  Yellow  Fever,"  and  "On  the  Mind,"  are,  however,  from 
their  greater  age  in  more  extensive  circulation.  I  have  met  with 
the  latter  in  the  Medical  Libraries  of  Russia,  Denmark,  Tuscany, 
Rome,  Naples,  France,  and  England. 

I  must  conclude  by  telling  you  that  I  shall  probably  pass  through 
N.  Y.  in  the  course  of  a  month  or  two,  and  shall  then  have  an  op- 
portunity of  saying  more  than  at  present  concerning  Europe. 
Yours  with  Great  Esteem,  Ushee  Parsons." 

Regretting  now,  that  we  have  no  more  letters  from  Dr. 
Parsons,  I  turn  to  the  last  one  extant  from  Dr.  Smith  to 
whom  Dr.  Spalding  had  sent  his  paper  "On  Goitre,"  printed 
in  ''The  Repository"  about  this  time. 

"New  Haven,  April  4,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  Your  favour  dated  Feb. 
7,  came  to  me  long  after  date.  Respecting  the  subject  of  your  in- 
quiry, that  is  the  Goitre  in  Vermont  and  New  Hampshire  on  the 
banks  of  the  Connecticut  river;  the  number  of  persons  affected  with 
that  disease  within  that  region  is  very  small,  and  the  number 
of  persons  so  affected  when  compared  to  the  whole  population  in 
any  given  district  is  constantly  diminishing.  The  facts  relating  to 
Goitre  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain  them  by  observation 
or  by  reading  are  the  following:  The  goitre  is  a  disease  peculiar  to 
fresh  water  countries,  that  is,  to  the  interior  parts  of  the  country 
remote  from  the  sea,  and  without  the  influence  of  its  atmosphere. 
I  speak  generally,  for  I  believe  there  have  been  a  few  sohtary  in- 
stances of  persons  having  a  goitre  who  have  always  resided  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  sea,  but  such  cases  are  rare.  The  children  of 
parents  who  have  removed  from  the  vicinity  of  the  sea  to  the  in- 
terior of  the  country  are  more  liable  to  goitral  swelling  than  the 
children  who  are  born  of  parents  who  have  been  born  and  brought 
up  in  the  interior  of  the  Country.  This  will  account  for  the  disease 
diminishing,  as  the  country  grows  older.  Females  are  more  hable 
to  goitre  than  males. 

Respecting  the  pathology  of  goitre,  it  is  obscure.  The  enlarge- 
ment of  the  Thyroid  Gland  depends  chiefly  if  not  wholly  on  the 
enlargement  of  the  blood  vessels  of  the  gland.  I  once  dissected  the 
body  of  a  woman  who  had  a  large  goitral  swelling,  and  I  injected 
the  arteries  very  fuU  before  I  dissected,  and  on  examination  I  found 
the  four  arterial  trunks  which  go  to  the  gland  astonishingly  en- 
larged; One  of  them  was  larger  than  the  internal  carotid  artery, 
and  the  four  exceeded  the  2  carotids.  The  bulk  of  the  tmnor  was 
made  up  of  wax  contained  in  the  arteries  as  there  was  no  appear- 
ance of  any  extravasations  of  wax  out  of  the  vessels. 

Respecting  treatment;  while  the  disease  is  small  it  is  often  re- 


314  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

moved  by  the  patient  changing  his  residence  from  the  interior  of 
the  country  to  the  seashore.  As  to  what  Dr.  Nathan  Frank  ^  has 
said,  he  must  have  been  more  acute  in  his  observations  than  I  have 
been,  as  I  have  been  acquainted  in  the  country  to  wliich  he  refers 
for  more  than  Forty  years,  and  if  I  were  to  hazard  a  conjecture  re- 
specting the  number  of  cases  affected  with  goitre  compared  with  the 
whole  mmiber  of  persons  in  this  region,  I  should  say  that  they  did 
not  amount  to  one  in  five  himdred.  New,  and  Old,  I  know,  are 
relative  terms,  but  Westmoreland  at  the  time  he  was  there  had 
been  settled  nearly  a  hundred  years. 

I  am  with  sentiments  of  esteem  your  Obedient  Servant,  Nathan 
Smith." 

This  is  the  last  letter  extant  from  Dr.  Smith  who  outlived 
his  younger  friend  by  seven  years,  dying  early  in  1829.  In 
addition  to  the  information  concerning  this  justly  celebrated 
physician,  already  shown  by  his  letters  here  printed,  it 
should  be  said  that  he  was  the  first  to  trephine  for  inflam- 
matory conditions  of  bones,  and  that  he  twice  appeared  as 
an  expert  in  law  suits  in  Maine,  once  in  a  case  of  alleged 
malpractice  and  once  in  a  case  of  murder. 

The  year  1819  brought  to  Dr.  Spalding  many  papers  re- 
garding the  settlement  of  the  estates  of  his  Father,  Col. 
Dyer  Spalding,  and  of  Mrs.  Spalding's  Father,  Captain 
Peter  Coues,  but  they  may  be  condensed  into  the  fact  that 
from  the  Spalding  estate  came  $1500  and  land  in  Cornish 
and  from  the  Coues  estate  $3000,  all  of  which  must  have 
been  welcome  with  a  large  family  to  support  in  New  York. 

The  Castleton,  Vermont,  Medical  School,  was  also  founded 
about  this  time  and  one  of  the  Faculty,  a  personal  friend, 
Dr.  Bachelder,  asked  for  information  to  this  effect: 

"Castleton,  Vt.,  Dec.  3,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  Will  you  have  the 
goodness  to  inform  me,  whether  there  is  any  person  in  your  city 
who  could  make  models,  similar  to  those  employed  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania University  for  demonstration  of  the  Eye,  Ear,  Brain,  etc.? 
Also,  whether  anatomical  researches  can  be  followed  with  per- 
severance, industry  and  convenience  in  any  of  your  Institutions? 
I  believe  it  is  the  intention  of  the  gentlemen  who  stand  at  the  head 

1  Nathan  Frank  was  a  physician  in  Windsor,  Vermont.  When  he 
said  that  most  of  the  women  in  that  region  suffered  from  swollen  necks, 
and  that  it  could  be  cured  by  spending  a  winter  in  a  seashore  City  like 
Boston,  Dr.  Spalding  jokingly  suggested  that  if  going  to  a  large  city 
for  the  winter  was  a  cure,  then  most  of  the  women  in  New  England 
would  soon  be  having  very  much  swollen  necks. 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     315 

of  the  Vermont  Academy  of  Medicine  to  depute  some  person  to 
visit  New  York  or  Philadelphia  for  the  purpose  of  providing  models, 
and  making  anatomical  preparations  for  the  use  of  that  Insti- 
tution, On  behalf  of  these  gentlemen,  I  write  to  you  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  the  desired  information.  I  have  the  honor  to 
be,  Sir,  Yours,  etc.,  J.  P.  Batchelder."^ 

An  interesting  letter  in  the  following  Spring,  from  Dr. 
Barker  of  Gorham,  Portland,  and  now  Gorham,  again, 
reveals  the  mental  activity  of  a  physician  well  over  seventy. 

"Gorham,  March  21,  1820.  Dear  Sir:  Your  cases  were  very 
acceptable.  I  am  like  a  Bee  in  quest  of  honey  from  every  salubrious 
plant.  I  feel  no  prepossession  in  favor  of  any  preconceived  opinion. 
"One  Impartial,  well  authenticated  case"  says  Dr.  Fisher  ^  is  worth 
a  dozen  theories.  There  are  various  ways  to  remove  pulmonary 
affections  and  various  means  are  required  to  effect  this  piu-pose. 
I  am  of  that  craving  disposition  that  I  wish  for  more  cases  which 
may  tend  to  alleviate  human  misery,  or  rather  afford  instruction 
for  that  purpose.  Our  Maine  representatives  in  Congress  will 
readily  frank  any  letters  directed  to  me,  Ezekiel  Whitman'  and 
Prentiss  Mellen,^  both  of  Portland,  my  friends.  I  sent  a  sub- 
scription paper  sometime  since  to  Mr.  Daniel  Johnson  of  N.  Y., 
how  he  succeeds  I  have  not  heard.  It  occurred  to  my  mind  that 
your  influence  among  physicians  might  enable  you  to  procure  some 
subscribers,  where  his  might  be  wanting. 

Dr.  Fisher  oiu-  President  took  a  paper  and  engaged  to  use  his 
influence  to  procm-e  subscribers.  Others  have  done  so.  Will  you, 
my  Dear  Sir,  afford  me  your  assistance?  Would  it  be  worth  while 
to  send  one  to  Albany?    Please  dispose  of  them  as  you  may  judge 

^  John  Putnam  Batchelder  (1784-1868)  practiced  in  Charleston, 
New  Hampshire,  Castleton,  Vermont,  and  in  New  York.  He  lec- 
tured on  Anatomy  at  Castleton  and  at  the  Berkshire  Medical  School, 
wrote  "On  Fractures"  and  "On  the  Morbid  Heart,"  performed  rhino- 
plastic  and  necrosis  operations  boldly  and  early,  in  the  history  of 
American  Surgery,  and  accumulated  a  vast  collection  of  Medical 
Notes  in  a  Short  Hand,  which  he  finally  could  not  decipher  himself. 

2  Dr.  Joshua  Fisher  (1760-1833)  was  Surgeon  on  a  Revolutionary 
Privateer  and  after  captivity  and  escape  he  studied  medicine  in  France, 
and  then  came  home.  He  practiced  at  Beverly,  Massachusetts,  was 
President  of  the  State  Medical  Society,  and  founded  by  wiU,  the  Fisher 
Chair  of  Natural  History  at  Harvard. 

3  Ezekiel  Whitman  represented  Maine  for  several  years  in  Congress 
and  was  a  Chief  Justice  of  that  State  mi  til  1849. 

^  Prentiss  Mellen  (1764-1840)  practiced  law  in  Biddeford  and  Port- 
land, Maine,  was  Member  of  Congress  and  United  States  Senator,  and 
Chief  Justice  for  several  years.  Maine  stiU  regards  him  as  one  of  her 
most  celebrated  sons. 


316  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

proper.  The  communications  which  I  have  received  will  render 
the  work  valuable  and  interesting,  exclusive  of  mj^  own  observation. 
I  have  received  Dr.  Hall  Jackson's^  " Obsen^ations  on  the  Putrid 
Sore  Throat"  printed  ia  1786,  which  Dr.  Cutter  and  Dr.  Tilton 
ad\'ise  me  to  insert,  as  it  is  a  rare  work  and  a  correct  historj^  of  the 
disease  which  originated  in  Sanford  County  of  York  and  progressed 
Eastward.  It  also  prevailed  at  that  time  in  Quebec  and  Rhode 
Island.  Pre^aouslj'  to  this,  in  1784,  the  puerperal  fever  prevailed 
in  Portsmouth  and  in  IMaine  as  an  epidemic,  in  which  I  had  much 
practice,  and  made  several  dissections  which  show  the  inflam- 
matorj"  nature  of  the  disease.  But,  we  feared  to  bleed  till  many- 
died.  The  lancet  was  then  used  in  parturition  as  a  preventive, 
followed  with  emetics  and  cathartics,  with  success.  .  .  Wishing 
you  success  in  all  j^oiu-  undertakings,  I  am,  Dear  Sir,  Your  Sincere 
Friend,  Jeeeshah  Baekee."^ 

One  of  the  highest  medical  positions  ever  attained  bj^  Dr. 
Spalding  was  that  of  Chairman  of  the  Standing  Committee 
of  the  Trustees  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons 
of  the  Cit}^  of  New  York,  that  committee  including  Dr. 
Francis,^  Dr.  Watts  *  and  Dr.  Mae  Neven. 

^  Dr.  Hall  Jackson  (1739-1797)  was  a  Revolutionary  Surgeon  who 
studied  abroad  and  ultimately  practiced  in  Hampton  and  Portsmouth, 
New  Hampshire.  Whilst  abroad  he  received  honorable  mention  for  an 
ingenio\is  invention  by  which  he  extracted  from  a  gun-shot  wound,  a 
biillet  which  had  baffled  the  skill  of  other  surgeons.  He  was  the  only 
New  Hampshire  surgeon  to  attend  to  the  wounded  from  that  State, 
after  the  Battle  of  Banker  HUl.  Some  of  his  letters  reveal  a  poor 
opinion  of  the  Patriots  of  that  era.  He  knew  them  all,  as  sending  to 
his  Ho-spital  on  Winter  HiU,  near  Boston,  vmhealthy  food  and  unwhole- 
some suppUes  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 

^  This  is  wTitten  on  a  "Subscription  Paper"  entitled  "Proposals 
for  Publishing  a  History  of  Diseases  in  the  District  of  Maine,  from 
1772  to  the  Present  Time,  with  Biographical  Sketches  of  Learned 
Physicians  in  Europe  and  America,"  to  which  is  added,  "An  Inquiry 
into  the  Causes,  Nature,  and  Treatment  of  Consumption,"  by  Jeremiah 
Barker,  Gorham,  Maine. 

'  John  Wakefield  Francis  (1789-1869)  was  Lecturer  on  Juris- 
prudence and  Obstetrics,  Professor  of  Materia  Medica,  and  editor  of 
"The  American  Medical  and  Philosophical  Register"  which  had  a 
brief  life.  Dr.  Francis  wrote  "On  the  Insane"  and  "Dipsomania," 
but  his  Chief  work  was  "Old  New  York,"  with  valuable  reminiscences 
of  those  whom  he  had  kno^Ti. 

*  John  Watts,  Jr.  (1785-1831),  was  descended  from  General  Watts 
of  the  Revolution,  and  from  his  son  Dr.  John  who  was  driven  from 
New  York  as  a  Loyalist.  John  Watts,  Jr.,  obtained  a  degree  at  Edin- 
burgh, established  a  private  School  for  Medicine  in  New  York,  served 
as  Surgeon  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  in  connection  with  Drs.  Mott  and 
Stevens  published  "Notes  of  Cases  seen  in  the  New  York  Hospital." 


BEGINNINGS  OF  THE  PHARMACOPCEIA     317 

During  the  summer  of  1820  Mrs.  Spalding  and  three  of 
the  children  lived  in  Portsmouth,  and  by  the  kindness  of 
Dr.  Mitchill  the  following  letter  now  reached  Dr.  Spalding 
still  laboring  in  New  York. 

"Portsmouth,  Aug.  23,  1820.  My  Dear  Husband.  Although 
I  have  not  heard  from  you  since  I  last  ^Tote,  I  am  in  daily  expec- 
tation of  it  by  a  vessel  that  is  expected  from  N.  Y.  Dr.  Mitchill 
who  is  now  in  town  pohtely  offered  to  take  letters.  I  avail  myseK 
of  this  opportunity  of  ASTiting  to  say  we  are  all  well  and  to  forward 
to  you  some  money.  Samuel  ^  has  enclosed  in  his  letter  SlOO,  and 
wishes  you  to  write  as  soon  as  you  receive  it.  Little  Edward  is 
much  better  than  I  have  ever  seen  him  before,  and  has  a  mouthful 
of  teeth.  I  hope  you  are  in  good  health,  that  Ljonan  and  Alfred 
are  well,  and  are  good  children.  How  is  the  health  of  the  City?  I 
hear  there  have  been  cases  of  Fever.  We  have  very  cool,  pleasant 
weather  here.  I  believe  it  was  warmer  before  I  came  than  it  has 
been  since.  I  am  now  going  to  find  Dr.  Mitchill  to  dehver  the 
letter  into  his  own  hands.  Yours  Affectionately,  Elizabeth 
Spalding." 

I  may  at  this  point  emphasize  the  fact  that  during  the 
years  1817-21  the  name  of  Dr.  Spalding  was  on  everybody's 
tongue,  owing  to  the  publicity  attaching  itself  throughout  the 
United  States  to  his  plans  for  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and  to  his 
pamphlet,  soon  to  be  mentioned,  ''On  Scutellaria  Lateri- 
flora (Scull  Cap)  in  Hydrophobia."  For  this  reason  he  re- 
ceived innumerable  letters,  a  few  of  which  only  may  be 
printed  as  throwing  light  on  his  career.  Here  is  one  from  .a 
European  Celebrity  (William  Swainson^  (1789-1855)),  men- 
tioning another  (Dr.  Thomas  Stewart  Trail  (1781-1862)). 

"Elm  Grove,  Liverpool,  1  Nov.  1820.  Dear  Sir:  I  sei2;e  the 
opportunity  just  now  offering  of  sending  you  a  small  Tract  by  my 
friend  Dr.  Trail  ^  and  also  begging  your  acceptance  of  the  first 

1  "Samuel"  is  Mrs.  Spalding's  brother,  Samuel  Coues,  and  the 
others  are  her  children. 

2  William  Swainson  was  born  in  Liverpool  and  as  a  youth  travelled 
to  Malta  and  Sicily  where  he  collected  fishes.  He  next  visited  Brazil 
and  wrote  an  accountof  his  voyage.  He  then  mastered  Lithography, 
so  as  to  draw,  and  to  print  in  colors,  the  illustrations  to  his  books. 
With  his  own  hand  he  is  said  to  have  written  eleven  volumes  of  Lard- 
ner's  "Encyclopoedia."  Late  in  life  he  lost  his  fortune,  and  retired  to 
New  Zealand  where  he  died.  "The  Zoological  Work"  of  which  he 
wrote  to  Dr.  Spalding  was  his  magnificent  "Zoological  Illustrations," 
with  344  colored  plates  in  folio. 

*  Dr.  Thomas  Stewart  Trail  (1781-1862)  was  Professor  of  Juris- 
prudence at  Edinburgh,  and  a  remarkable  lecturer,  excessively  proud 


318  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

number  of  my  New  Zoological  Work,  which  will  serve  as  a  specimen 
of  its  execution  for  yourself  and  friends.  I  am  very  anxious  to 
prociue  it  as  wide  a  circulation  as  possible,  from  the  love  of  science 
alone,  for,  the  price,  considering  the  execution  of  it  will  leave  little 
or  no  profit  on  it.  I  shall  therefore  beg  you  will  show  it  to  such 
friends  as  you  think  most  likely  to  desire  it.  In  haste,  beUeve  me 
to  remain,  Dear  Sir,  Your  very  Faithful  and  Obed't  Serv't,  William 

SWAINSON. 

P.  S.  I  have  written  to  Mr.  Stewart^  last  month  and  sent  him 
a  box  of  Brazilian  insects.  I  should  be  very  glad  if  you  could  point 
me  out  any  Correspondents  of  your  acquaintance  through  whom  I 
could  get  (in  exchange)  Birds,  Shells,  or  Insects  of  North  America." 

of  his  memory,  by  the  aid  of  which  he  performed  enormous  feats  of 
remembrance. 

1  Mr.  Stewart  was  an  engraver  in  New  York. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Case   of  James   Cann,   and  Dr.  Spalding's  Pamphlet   "On 
Scull  Cap  (Scutellaria  Lateriflora)  in  Hydrophobia." 

The  student  of  American  Medical  History  of  the  early- 
part  of  the  XIX  Century  will  find  no  case  more  violently 
discussed  than  that  of  James  Cann,  It  not  only  permeated 
Medical  Literature  for  a  year,  but  it  was  bandied  to  and  fro 
in  the  Newspapers,  as  hardly  any  medical  case  before  or 
since.  Was  it  Hydrophobia?  Was  it  Tetanus?  If  neither, 
what  was  it?  Briefly  stated,  James  Cann  of  New  York  was 
bitten  in  June,  1819,  by  a  dog  supposed  to  be  mad.  A  few 
days  later  he  was  attacked  with  symptoms  resembling  those 
of  hydrophobia,  an  infusion  of  Scull  Cap  was  administered, 
and  he  recovered.  The  result  was,  of  course,  conclusive  of 
the  value  of  the  plant.  Yet,  others  said:  "Did  Cann  have 
hydrophobia  at  all?  Did  Scull  Cap  cure  him?  Did  he  not 
get  well  of  himself?" 

Dr.  Spalding  interested  himself  in  the  study  of  scull  cap, 
took  pains  to  collect  hundreds  of  alleged  cases  of  hydro- 
phobia said  to  have  been  cured  or  treated  in  vain  by  the 
herb,  issued  a  compendium  of  them  all,  in  a  pamphlet,  of 
which  he  sent  copies  throughout  America  and  even  to  Europe, 
where  the  controversy  was  again  carried  on,  as  bitterly  as  it 
had  been  at  home,  and  Cann  was  discussed  in  much  the  same 
way.  "Did  he  have  hydrophobia?  Did  Scull  Cap  cure 
him?  Was  Scull  Cap  according  to  Dr.  Spalding  of  New 
York,  of  any  value  at  all?" 

Meanwhile,  Mr.  James  Cann  continued  in  perfect  health 
until  February,  1820,  when  he  was  again  seized  with  con- 
vulsions, and  in  spite  of  scull  cap  and  other  drugs,  he  per- 
ished. Thereupon  newspaper-vituperation  against  scull  cap 
and  mercury  and  physicians  broke  out  again  in  a  sort  of  in- 
sane fashion  and  lasted,  until  some  other  Novelty  attracted 
public  curiosity,  and  "The  Case  of  Cann"  passed  into 
History. 

Now  it  happened  that  around  this  Case,  there  grew  an 
enormous  mountain  of  letters  to  Dr.  Spalding,  who  from  the 

319 


320  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

start  had  insisted,  that  Cann's  Case  was  one  of  Tetanus, 
and  that  Scull  Cap  in  Hydrophobia  was  useless. 

From  this  mass  of  correspondence  I  will  quote  a  few  let- 
ters which  show  the  spirit  of  the  times.  The  first  one  worth 
mentioning  is  from  Dr.  John  Vancleve  of  New  Brunswick, 
New  Jersey,  President  of  the  State  Medical  Society.  Writ- 
ing from  Princeton,  July,  1819,  he  says: 

"The  observations  I  made  in  the  Convention,^  on  Scull  Cap  as  a 
preventive  of  hydrophobia,  were  founded  on  reports  of  its  use  wliich 
I  could  not  discredit.  These  I  had  from  Dr.  Van  Derveer,  whose 
Father  had  used  it  as  early  as  1770.  Young  Dr.  Van  Derveer 
WTote  me  that  he  never  knew  it  to  fail  but  once.  His  father  claimed 
to  have  used  it  more  than  400  times  with  good  results.  Several 
cases  of  hydrophobia  in  Philadelphia  occurring  after  the  Convention 
I  thought  it  my  duty  to  let  the  local  physicians  know  about  the 
remedy,  so  I  drew  up  a  short  Statement,  and  sent  it  to  the  "Eclectic 
Repertory."    With  Very  Great  Respect,  John  Vancleve." 

In  a  second  letter  Dr.  Vancleve  cited  numerous  cases  of 
the  asserted  value  of  scull  cap  as  a  cure  for  hydrophobia, 
and  urged  Dr.  Spalding  to  communicate  directly  with  Dr. 
Vanderveer;  "although  he  is  very  diffident,  and  might,  be 
more  communicative  with  me,  as  I  treated  his  Father  per- 
sonally, in  his  last  illness." 

The  elder  Dr.  Lawrence  Vanderveer  (1745-1815)  was 
graduated  from  Princeton,  and  was  afterwards  one  of  its 
Trustees.  The  son,  Henry,  was  also  a  Princeton  graduate 
and  after  practising  (it  is  said)  64  years,  died  in  1874.  He 
was  an  Army  Surgeon  in  the  War  of  1812.  In  an  extremely 
long  and  intricate  letter  to  Dr.  Spalding,  dated  Roysfield, 
New  Jersey,  Aug.  17,  1819:  he  says  that  he  had  had  but 
little  knowledge  personally  of  the  value  of  Scull  Cap  in 
Hydrophobia,  but  that  his  Father  had  used  it  as  far  back 
as  1773,  and  had  used  it  in  400  cases  and  not  one  of  them 
ever  suffered  from  hydrophobia,  except  in  one  instance  in 
which  after  two  persons  had  been  bitten  by  a  mad  dog,  one 
of  them  took  scull  cap  and  had  no  hydrophobia,  whilst  the 
other  when  about  to  drink  his  dose  of  decoction  of  scull  cap 
lost  it,  by  breakage  of  the  pitcher,  and  died  from  hydro- 
phobia.    The  only  animal  that  he  ever  knew  of  not  being 

'  "The  Convention"  was  the  States  Medical  District  Convention 
for  the  formation  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  held  in  Philadelphia,  June  1, 
1819.  and  of  which  Dr.  Vancleve  was  a  member. 


THE  CASE  OF  JAMES  CANN  321 

cured  by  scull  cap  after  a  bite  from  a  mad  dog  was  one 
that  could  not  be  induced  to  take  the  dose. 

In  a  second  letter  Dr.  Vanderveer  mentions  other  suc- 
cessful cures  of  alleged  hydrophobia  and  many  apparent 
cases  of  prevention  after  using  it,  and  claims  to  know;  "One 
Thousand  instances  in  which  it  had  prevented  the  disease 
appearing  after  bites  from  rabid  animals."  He  mentions 
that  his  Father  once  practiced  in  Shepardstown,  Virginia, 
and  then  in  Roysfield,  and  that  he  was  now  practising  in  his 
Father's  house.  Both  of  these  long  winded  letters  are 
capital  autographs,  one  signed  Your  Obed't  Humble  Serv't; 
and  the  other;  Affectionately  yours,  Henry  Vanderveer. 

Two  other  letters  on  this  topic  from  Dr.  Levi  Bartlett  of 
Kingston,  New  Hampshire,  are  worth  looking  into. 

Writing  August,  19,  1819,  he  says: 

"I  am  sorry  to  learn  that  hydrophobia  is  raging  in  the  Middle 
States.  We  have  but  few  cases  here.  I  will  iaquire  of  the  fanners 
whose  hogs  have  died  rabid,  despite  the  scull  cap.  I  will  also  send 
you  some  fresh  specimens  of  the  plant  that  you  may  satisfy  your- 
self. I  am  rather  surprised  that  credulity  should  attach  such 
potent  value  to  this  innocuous  plant.  Many  people  about  here 
have  been  bitten  by  rabid  dogs,  yet  they  never  experienced  any 
harm.  Probably  the  same  thing  has  occurred  in  other  places  where 
chance  first  ministered  scull  cap,  and  by  their  Not  becoming  mad, 
the  effects  v/ere  attributed  to  the  wrong  cause.  I  recall  a  girl  who 
was  bitten  by  a  rabid  dog  in  the  gum  of  her  upper  teeth.  The  dog 
died,  the  girl  had  no  treatment  yet  remained  well  forty  years  later. 
I  have  often  thought  that  the  Saliva  washed  away  the  virus,  or 
acted  as  an  antidote  to  that  which  was  not  thus  completely  washed 
away  from  the  bite. 

Why  would  not  suction  be  the  best  thing  for  all  such  bites?  I 
have  in  some  instances  applied  blisters  and  they  seemed  to  work  well. 
The  branch,  I  enclose,  came  from  seed  from  Pennsylvania,  where  the 
Dutch  beheve  it  an  infaUible  cure,  and  call  it  a  WEER  KRAUT 
(Wehr-preventive  Kraut-Herb.  J.  A.  S.)  I  shall  try  it  if  opportunity 
occm-s.    I  sent  some  to  Dr.  Thacher  who  says  it  is  genuine." 

In  a  second  letter,  a  week  later,  Dr.  Bartlett  says: 

"Yesterday  I  accidently  met  a  farmer  whose  hog  had  been 
bitten  by  a  mad  dog,  and  I  inquired  of  him  the  treatment,  in  the 
presence  of  Dr.  Amos  Gale  of  Kingston,  who  happened  along,  and 
he  informed  me  that  he  gave  scull  cap  largely  to  the  hog  who  died. 
We  had  no  more  time  to  talk,  or  I  should  have  taken  his  Certificate 
to  send  you.    With  great  esteem,  etc.,  Levi  Bartlett.'' 


322  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

In  a  third  and  still  more  diffuse  letter  on  Hydrophobia, 
Dr.  Bartlett  concludes  the  topic. 

"I  sometime  past  communicated  a  paper  to  yom-  friend  Pascalis, 
and  suggested  to  him,  that  the  virus  of  hydrophobia  was  of  a  Plios- 
phoric  Nature,  so  that  the  Sj^stem  becomes  irritable,  and  that  then, 
excitement  of  the  organs  of  senses  adds  fuel  to  the  flame  and  ex- 
tinguishes the  Vital  Spark.    With  Esteem,  Levi  Bartlett."  ^ 

Another  correspondent  on  Scull  Cap  was  Dr.  Stephen 
West  Wilhams  (1790-1855)  of  Deerfield,  Massachusetts,  a 
man  of  extensive  practice  and  a  Professor  of  Botany,  Juris- 
prudence and  Materia  Medica  at  the  Berkshire  Medical 
School.  He  edited  an  excellent  "American  Medical  Biog- 
raphy,'-' and  after  emigrating  to  the  West,  died  in  Iowa, 
Illinois. 

Writing  August  13th,  1819,  he  says: 

"Dear  Sir:  "In  a  letter  to  my  friend  Dr.  Mott  I  mentioned  that 
I  was  intending  to  collect  facts  on  the  efficacy  of  Scull  Cap  m  Hydro- 
phobia, as  from  my  experience  I  never  doubted  its  prophylatic 
powers.  I  intended  also  to  write  to  Mr.  Coleman  of  the  "Post,'"* 
for  permission  to  insert  my  cases  with  those  he  had  printed.  But 
as  you  have  anticipated  me,  I  abandon  my  plan." 

Dr.  Williams  then  continues  with  Cases,  and  emphasizes 
"the  Alexipharmic  (Antidotal)  Virtues"  of  scull  cap  in  re- 
lieving animals  bitten  by  mad  dogs.  He  refers  additionally 
to  cases  in  the  practice  of  Dr.  Peter  Fisk,  and  in  a  second 
later  asserts  that  he  and  his  Father  had  cured  as  many  as 
thirty  cases  of  hydrophobia  with  scull  cap. 

In  conclusion  he  says: 

"I  can  dispose  of  20  copies  of  your  pamphlet  when  ready. 
Your  Sincere  Friend,  S.  W.  Williams." 

^  Dr.  Levi  Bartlett  was  Post  Master,  Selectman,  Circuit  Judge, 
Colonel,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Judge  of  Common  Pleas  and  a  busy 
physician. 

^  William  Coleman  (1766-1829)  was  born  in  Boston,  practiced  law 
in  Greenfield,  Massachusetts,  and  Walpole,  Vermont,  and  then  re- 
moved to  New  York,  where  he  was  at  one  time  a  partner  with  Aaron 
Burr.  Having  refused  to  fight  a  duel,  Coleman  was  accused  of  coward- 
ice by  a  third  person,  challenged  him,  and  killed  him.  Characterized 
by  his  biographers  as  pugnacious  and  fiery,  Coleman  certainly  pro- 
ceeded with  excessive  vehemence  in  his  newspaper-campaign  in  favor 
of  Scull  Cap  as  a  preventive  of  hydrophobia.  He  established  "The 
Evening  Post"  in  1801,  and  made  of  it  from  the  start,  the  same  success 
which  it  has  continued  to  be  ever  since. 


THE  CASE  OF  JAMES  CANN  323 

Dr.  Peter  Fisk  then  practising  at  Montague,  Massachu- 
setts, took  up  the  story  of  one  of  the  cases  where  Dr.  Wil- 
liams left  it  (a  woman  had  been  bitten  by  an  apparently 
rabid  puppy)  and  in  his  letter  goes  into  an  infinite  detail  of 
symptoms  which  might  have  been  due  to  a  dozen  different 
diseases.  The  idea  was,  that  the  dog  was  mad,  and  died 
mad,  and  that  the  woman  afflicted  with  various  symptoms 
took  large  doses  of  a  decoction  of  Scull  Cap  and  recovered. 

This  letter  was  evidently  handed  to  Mr.  Coleman,  the 
Editor  of  the  "Post,"  for  on  it  is  pinnel  a  sHp  of  paper  with 
Dr.  Spalding's  handwriting. 

"Will  Mr.  Coleman  be  pleased  to  show  Dr.  Spalding  his  copy  as 
he  comes  into  town  tomorrow  morning?" 

Omitting  now,  several  letters  on  the  absorbing  topic  of  the 
day,  I  venture  to  print  a  part  of  one  from  Dr.  Thacher. 

"Plymouth,  Aug.  3,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  I  am  gratified  to  learn 
that  you  are  investigating  the  antidotal  properties  of  Scutellaria, 
and  are  about  to  publish  a  history  of  the  cases  in  which  it  has  been 
employed.  From  your  habitual  industry  and  perseverance  im- 
portant results  may  be  anticipated.  In  reference  to  my  letter 
published  in  the  "Repository"  in  1812,  I  recollect  it  was  a  hasty 
Address  in  consequence  of  a  favor  with  which  I  had  just  been 
honored  by  Dr.  Mitchill,  and  was  not  intended  for  publication. 

I  visited  a  boy  within  48  hours  after  the  bite  was  inflicted.  The 
wound  was  large,  and  so  contiguous  to  the  mouth  and  saUvary 
ducts  that  deeming  excision  inadmissible,  I  dilated  the  wound  and 
applied  nitric  acid,  and  the  affusion  of  cold  water,  which  with  the 
internal  use  of  Scull  Cap,  in  strong  decoction  twice  a  day,  I  directed 
to  be  persisted  in  about  30  days.  At  this  precise  period  his  parents 
were  alarmed  by  the  appearance  of  those  symptoms  which  I  had 
described  to  them  as  distinctive  of  the  consequent  disease,  and 
which  terminated  fatally  in  64  hours  after  the  attack." 

Dr.  Thacher  here  proceeds  to  argue  at  great  length,  that 
the  scull  cap  had  no  chance  of  proving  its  value  since  after  a 
few  days  of  use,  the  parents  continued  it  in  small  and  in- 
efficacious doses,  and  that  the  quantity  actually  employed 
was  trivial  in  amount.  From  this  he  wanders  into  a  long 
discussion  concerning  statements  made  by  Mr.  Coleman 
concerning  the  difference  in  preventive  powers  of  various 
specimens  of  Scutellaria.  Interesting  to  the  botanist,  they 
have  no  value  here. 


324  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Taking  up  the  thread  of  Dr.  Thacher's  letter  again,  he 

says: 

"You  request  my  opinion  respecting  the  Case  of  Mr.  Cann,  and 
it  seems  that  the  narrative  is  candid,  and  unexceptionable  and 
affords  ample  evidence  of  the  rabid  condition,  of  the  dog.  A 
cm'sory  review  of  the  circumstances  might  impress  the  idea  of  a 
triumphant  display  of  the  curative  virtues  of  Scull  Cap.  But,  my 
friend,  it  is  in  our  nature  to  embrace  with  avidity  every  occurrence 
co-incident  with  our  views  when  in  pursuit  of  the  object  of  our 
solicitude. 

I  rely  upon  your  influence  to  shield  me  from  the  imputation  of 
presmnption  when  I  query  whether  Cann's  Case  may  not  be  con- 
sidered as  a  suspicious  or  even  a  faUacious  one?  The  fact  that  he 
was  seized  with  the  supposed  disease  on  the  7th  day,  and  the 
absence  of  the  most  prominent  symptoms  of  hydrophobia,  wUl  in 
my  humble  opinion  warrant  such  a  suggestion  as  we  have  no  in- 
stance on  record  of  an  attack  earUer  than  the  10th  day  and  in  a 
large  number  of  cases  it  has  been  protracted  to  a  much  longer 
period.  Whether  a  mild  form  of  tetanic  affection  aggravated  by  a 
terrific  imagination  wiU  not  more  rationally  account  for  the  com- 
plaint, I  submit  to  your  superior  judgment.  Similar  examples 
have  been  reported  nor  are  such  accounted  incredible  by  those 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  astonishing  effects  of  mental  im- 
pressions, especially  when  proceeding  from  the  fears  and  horrors 
occasioned  by  the  bite  of  rabid  animals.  I  wish  you  success  and 
satisfaction  in  your  undertakmg  and  would  willingly  be  a  subscriber, 
as  I  shall  be  impatient  to  peruse  the  work  as  soon  as  possible.  With 
Much  respect.  Your  Friend  James  Thacher. 

P.  S.  I  omitted  to  mention  a  circumstance  in  Cann's  Case 
which  has  great  weight  in  my  mind :  the  very  inadequate  quantity 
of  scull  cap  which  he  was  directed  to  take!  A  teaspoonful  and  a 
half  in  a  quart  of  water,  and  drink  hah  a  pint  morning  and  evening!  ! 
And  this  to  combat  the  most  foraiidable  of  all  diseases!  !  !  Would 
you  not  be  willing  to  take  an  equal  quantity  of  hemlock  or  Night- 
shade? Would  you  attempt  to  batter  down  a  mountain  by  the 
force  of  an  air  bubble?" 

Another  physician  consulted  by  Dr.  Spalding  was  Dr. 
James  Mease  (1771-1846)  who  enjoyed  throughout  America 
a  high  reputation  concerning  hydrophobia,  because  of  his 
graduating  Thesis  on  that  topic.  Dr.  Mease  was  very 
much  thought  of  in  medical  circles  after  caring  for  Dr.  Rush 
in  his  last  illness.  He  wrote  a  "Geology  of  the  United 
States,"  and  a  book  on  Philadelphia.  His  sensible  views, 
as  here  laid  down,  are  worth  reading. 


THE  CASE  OF  JAMES  CANN  325 

"Philadelphia,  Aug.  28,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  I  read  Cann's  Case 
with  attention,  and  I  must  declare  to  you  that  I  thought  at  the 
time,  the  disease  had  little  to  do  with  the  Canine  Virus,  or  with 
any  irritation  excited  on  the  nerves,  by  the  dog's  tooth,  and  the 
Scutellaria  as  httle  in  the  case.  If  you  reflect  upon  the  weakness 
of  the  infusion  given,  you  will  agree  with  me  in  the  latter  opinion. 
But,  I  have  constantly  said,  that  I  would  as  freely  use  the  Scutel- 
laria as  any  other  internal  remedy  after  the  disease  had  actually 
appeared,  but  I  now  believe  that  we  ought  to  direct  all  our  attention 
to  the  Spine,  so  as  to  relieve  the  origins  of  the  nerves  of  the  parts 
chiefly  exhibiting  morbid  phenomena,  from  the  pressure,  under 
which  they  labor.  My  views  you  will  see  fully  given  in  the  two 
last  Numbers  of  the  "Recorder,"^  which  I  will  send  you,  together 
with  a  copy  of  my  Inaugural  Dissertation.  Dr.  Mitchill  has  my 
Diss.,  and  also  my  "Observations"  on  Dr.  Rush's  opinion  in  favour 
of  the  inflammatory  nature  of  the  disease.  Dr.  Thacher  has  also 
given  a  summary  of  my  remarks  in  one  of  his  papers. 

As  to  the  preventive  power  of  Scutellaria  I  entertain  the  same 
doubt  as  I  do  of  all  other  preventives.  Mr.  Coleman  not  being  a 
medical  man  is  not  aware  how  unreasonable  it  is,  to  expect  that  a 
remedy  taken  for  a  few  weeks  or  months,  and  then  omitted,  can  be 
entitled  to  the  claim  of  Preventing  a  disease  which  may  come  on 
six  months  or  a  year  afterward,  or  three  years  and  nine  months  as 
in  cases  reported.  Mercury  has  been  given  to  produce  salivation 
for  weeks,  and  yet  the  disease  has  at  length  appeared.  Can  we 
therefore  expect  any  vegetable,  to  leave  more  powerful  impression 
on  the  system  than  Mercury!  !  I  think  Dr.  Reid  ^  has  given  us  the 
true  clew  to  the  cure  of  both  tetanus  and  hydrophobia,  and  I  wish 
you  would  read  his  book.  I  will  throw  no  hindrance  in  the  way  of 
the  use  of  Scull  Cap  as  a  cure  for  the  disease  and  shall  rejoice  if  it 
should  prove  a  specific. 

1  admire  Mr.  Coleman's  zeal,  and  think  he  merits  the  thanks  of 
the  world  for  his  good  intentions.  If  attention  to  the  Spine  should 
prove  useless  in  any  Case,  I  shall  use  Scull  Cap.  Accept  my  sincere 
thanks,  J.  Mease." 

Dr.  Spalding  collated  all  the  information  which  he  re- 
ceived by  letter  and  through  the  newspapers  concerning 
scull  cap  and  its  alleged  virtues  as  a  prophylactic  and  cure 
in  Hydrophobia,  added  condensed  reports  of  its  efficacy 

^  "The  American  Medical  Recorder"  was  an  excellent  medical 
Journal;  beautifully  printed  and  artistically  edited,  it  is  good  reading, 
even  in  these  days. 

2  Dr.  John  Reid  (1776-1822)  was  an  Edinburgh  Alienist  of  fame. 
His  "Treatise  on  Hypochondriasis  and  Other  Nervous  Affections,"  is 
the  work  to  which  Dr.  Mease  refers. 


326  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

issued  in  the  "Post"  and  other  papers,  and  issued  a  pamphlet 
on  the  topic,  illustrated  with  a  colored  lithograph  of  the 
plant.  Several  of  these  pamphlets  were  now  sent  to  cor- 
respondents in  Europe  and  amongst  the  replies  acknowledg- 
ing their  arrival,  I  find  the  following  from  Sir  Robert  Perceval 
(1769-1829), 

Kildare  Place,  Dublin,  January  29th,  1820. 

"Dear  Sir:  I  have  to  return  my  acknowledgements  for  your 
pamphlet  on  the  use  of  "Scutellaria  in  Hydi'ophobia,"  which  you 
were  so  kind  as  to  fom^ard  to  me.  The  subject  is  a  most  interesting 
one,  and  the  more  so  to  me,  as  no  instance,  well  authenticated  has 
ever  come  to  my  knowledge  of  the  efficacy  of  any  medicine  in 
preventing  the  fatal  termination  of  the  disease  when  once  it  had 
begun  to  betray  itself  by  such  sjTiiptoms  as  you  describe. 

A  considerable  uncertainty  affects  the  observations  which 
might  be  supposed  to  establish  the  efficacy  of  the  means  employed 
for  prevention;  the  variable  period  at  which  the  disorder  begins 
to  discover  itself,  the  unascertained  madness  of  the  animal  sup- 
posed to  be  rabid,  and  the  well  ascertained  fact,  that,  of  many  who 
have  been  bitten  by  one  unequivocally  so,  some  have  escaped 
without  the  employment  of  any  preventive  means.  These  circmn- 
stances  most  contribute  to  give  advantage  to  creduhty  or  designing 
imposition.  This  letter  will  cover  American  Dollar  Notes  to  the 
amount  of  One  Guinea,  which  you  will  particularly  obhge  me  in  ex- 
pending in  the  purchase  of  the  herb  carefully  dried:  it  probably 
may  contain  some  ripe  seed.  If  not,  I  request  you  to  procure  a 
small  quantity  of  seed  and  to  send  it  along  with  the  herb  in  the 
same  packet.  I  waive  any  apology  for  imposing  this  trouble  upon 
you,  conx-inced  as  I  am,  that  your  zeal  for  the  promotion  of  science 
and  the  reUef  of  suffering  humanity  will  plead  excuse.  Your 
ObUged  Servant,  Robert  Perceval."^ 

After  sending  a  copy  of  the  pamphlet  to  Baron  Larrey, 
a  letter  arrived  from  the  French  firm  of  Rouviere,  Marbeau, 
and  Cotterelle  of  Paris,  "Doctors  in  Medicine  "and  "Bureau 
of  Consultations,"  of  whom,  however,  no  traces  are  to  be 
found  in  Biographical  Dictionaries,  This  letter  begins  by 
calling  to  Dr.  Spalding's  attention  the  very  celebrated 
"Granules  of  Health"  as  made  from  the  formula  of  the 

^  Sir  Robert  was  born,  studied,  lectured  and  died  in  Dublin,  Ireland. 
He  lectured  principally  on  Chemistry,  was  Inspector  of  Apothecaries 
in  Ireland,  Chief  of  the  Prison  Improvement  Society,  and  Physician  in 
Chief  to  his  Majesty's  Forces  in  Ireland.  He  was  very  active  in  putting 
an  end  to  an  outbreak  of  Puerperal  Fever  at  the  Rotunda,  in  1820. 


Oyn/jt  (Jb  oi  nrv-ent^  err\U^  ifuijt  lA-  fyO  ^i/rytr  ■rr.^QjaUi.  /&rv^irfc>o\  ^   runy^    fAA-C 
THOMAS  JEFFERSON'S  ACKNOWLEDGMENT  OF  THE  SCULL  CAP  PAMPHLET 


THE  CASE  OF  JAMES  CANN  327 

famous  Dr.  Frank/  and  hoping  that  he  will  accept  the 
gift  of  some  enclosed,  and  adds  that:  "By  using  our  Granules 
in  your  practice  you  will  be  an  antagonist  to  those  many 
dangerous  medicines  with  which  the  world  is  now  flooded." 
The  Post  Script  adds:  "Our  chief  reason  for  writing  you, 
from  whom  the  Baron  Larrey  has  most  recently  received 
your  pamphlet  on  Scutellaria  Lateriflora,  is  to  beg  you  to 
send  us  a  specimen  of  the  plant.  We  do  not  doubt  its 
efficacy,  but  would  be  pleased  to  prove  its  value  in  the  face 
of  many  other  remedies  likewise  claimed  as  specifics.  All 
that  is  done  in  Paris  for  a  preventive  is  to  cauterize  the  bite 
and  to  give  mercurials  abundantly." 

A  copy  of  the  Pamphlet  was  also  sent  to  Thomas  Jefferson, 
who  returned  an  admirable  autograph,  in  which  he  regretted 
the  ravages  of  hydrophobia,  and  hoped  that  the  remedy  for 
this  afflicting  disease  had  at  last  been  discovered. 

The  medical  magazines  and  newspapers  of  the  United 
States  continued  to  publish  notices  of  the  Pamphlet  on 
Scull  Cap,  long  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Cann,  but  its  real  aim 
to  prove,  that  the  suggested  remedy  amounted  to  nothing 
as  a  prophylactic  or  cure,  seems  to  have  been  entirely  mis- 
understood, for  it  was  still  lauded  to  the  skies  as  a  great 
discovery.  In  order,  finally,  to  set  the  profession  and  the 
public  aright,  Dr.  Mitchill  was  obliged  to  come  forward  in 
the  "Repository"  with  the  following  Statement: 

"Of  the  famous  Scull  Cap,  we  should  have  nothing  more  to  say, 
had  not  "Le  Journal  Universal  de  Paris"  brought  it  once  more  to 
our  notice  with  its  thousands  of  wonderful  cures  from  the  Pamphlet 
of  our  Dr.  Spalding.  As  the  French  Editor  apprehends  that  de- 
spite this,  it  will  soon  be  laid  aside  and  forgotten,  we  are  surprised 
that  he  should  ask  for  the  quantity  to  be  given.  But,  our  Author 
has  not  been  understood  by  the  French,  and  that  he  should  no 
longer  be  at  variance  with  them,  we  subject  his  letter  to  the  editor 
of  the  journal  just  mentioned." 

"Sir:  I  am  constrained  to  say,  that  my  pamphlet  on  Scutellaria, 
was  written  for  the  express  purpose  of  bringing  together  all  the 

1  Johann  Peter  Franlc  (1745-1821)  wa&  a  great  man  of  that  era  in  the 
courts  of  Europe,  lecturing  on  medicine  at  the  Universities  of  Pavia, 
Petrograd  and  Vienna.  He  directed  many  army  medical  reforms  in 
Austria  and  had  reserved  for  his  use  a  suite  of  apartments  in  the  Im- 
perial Palace  at  Schoenbrunn.  He  wrote  "A  Complete  System  of  Medi- 
cal Polity"  which  contains  all  of  the  public  health  ideas  of  today. 
The  Granules  of  Health  were  exploited  privately  from  his  prescriptions. 
Beethoven  often  visited  Dr.  Frank  with  recent  musical  compositions. 


328  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

evidence  on  which  the  public  reputation  of  the  herb  rested,  in  order 
that  the  medical  public  might  be  better  able  to  judge  of  the  anti- 
dotal powers  attributed  to  the  plant.  I  did  not  pretend  to  arrogate  to 
myself  the  right  of  intruding  my  opinion  upon  the  public.  But  you 
have  in  your  journal  drawn  an  erroneous  inference  when  you  say 
that  Three  Hundred  persons  and  a  Thousand  animals  have  been 
cured  by  the  plant.  What  I  did  say,  was,  that  it  had  been  employed 
by  Three  Himdred  and  Fifty  persons  believed  to  have  been  bitten 
by  rabid  animals,  and  that  in  only  Three  instances  did  hydrophobia 
supervene,  AND,  that  it  is  said  to  have  been  administered  to  more 
than  a  Thousand  animals  bitten  by  brutes  supposed  to  be  mad. 
You  also  say,  that  I  pretend  that  Scull  Cap  is  a  specific  against 
Hydrophobia.  But,  my  pamphlet  does  not  express  any  such 
opinion  as  being  entertained  by  me.  For,  I  have  invariably  de- 
clared both  before,  and  since  the  publication  of  my  pamphlet,  that 
there  was  not  sufficient  evidence  available  to  convince  any  medical 
man  of  the  prophylactic  or  antidotal  powers  of  Scutellaria.  Lyman 
Spalding,  M.D." 

So  far  as  can  be  discovered  this  was  the  last  public  mention 
of  Scutellaria  Lateriflora  in  Hydrophobia.  Yet  it  is  plain  to 
understand  that,  what  with  all  these  public  discussions  on 
this  dreaded  disease,  the  Case  of  Cann,  and  the  proposed 
Pharmacopoeia  of  the  United  States,  now  well  under  way, 
the  name  of  Dr.  Spalding  must  have  been  very  well  known 
throughout  the  civilized  world. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

A  Brief  Summary  of  what  Dr.  Spalding  Accomplished  in  New 

York  City,  with  Notes  of  Some  of  the  Physicians  with 

Whom  He  was  Most  Intimate.     1813-1821. 

Immediately  after  arriving  in  New  York,  in  1813,  Dr. 
Spalding  delivered  his  letters  of  introduction,  went  about 
making  acquaintances,  attended  the  meetings  of  the  Trus- 
tees of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  and  made 
frequent  visits  to  the  New  York  Hospital,  as  his  Case  Books 
show. 

He  called  upon  Mr.  DeWitt  Chnton,  the  Jays,  Dr. 
Hosack,  was  made  much  of  by  Dr.  Mitchill,  and  by  these 
friends  was  introduced  to  the  Literati,  Coleman,  Drake  and 
Halleck.  He  was  chosen  Secretary  of  the  State  Historical 
Society,  and  read  papers  before  it  ''On  the  Connecticut 
River  Valley,"  and  "On  New  England  Chmate"  in  which 
he  mentioned  a  fall  in  temperature  of  52°  between  sunset 
and  sunrise  in  Portsmouth.  In  company  with  Dr.  MitchiU 
and  Dr.  Vancleve,  he  measured  the  temperature  of  the 
water  of  a  well  on  Broadway,  finding  it  54°  whilst  the  August 
air  stood  at  80".  He  wrote  for  the  Newspapers,  reviews  of 
lectures  by  Dr.  Mitchill  and  Dr.  Ramsay  on  Natural  History, 
notices  of  a  new  Comet  and  a  recent  earthquake,  and  during 
an  epidemic  of  fever  he  defended  physicians  who  had  been 
censured  by  the  papers  for  trivial  causes.  When  a  physician 
of  standing  publicly  claimed  that  quacks  were  curing  the 
fever  with  "Catnip  and  Olive  Oil,"  he  inquired  why  that 
physician  was  not  treating  his  patients  in  the  same  way  and 
complained  that  it  was  unfair  in  this  way  to  create  false  im- 
pressions against  other  physicians  who  were  doing  their 
best  to  find  a  remedy  for  the  pestilence. 

Dr.  Spalding  was  also  elected  Secretary  of  the  County 
Medical  Society,  a  position  which  he  held  for  fife,  and  at  its 
meetings  read  papers  "On  Fever,"  "Cataract,"  "Hernia" 
and  "Amputations."  Amongst  his  "Open  Letters"  to 
celebrated  physicians,  I  find  one  to  Baron  Larrey  "On  Buf- 
fing and  Cupping  of  the  Blood,"  and  to  Dr.  Wistar,  one  "On 

329 


330  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Calcareous  Concretions  in  the  Knee  Joint,"  and  a  second 
"On  Preparations  of  the  Nerves."  In  this  he  says:  "It  is 
something  magnificent  I  assure  you.  You  can  see  every 
nerve  of  its  natural  size."  "The  cerebral  nerves  are  painted 
after  the  natural  colors  of  the  Rainbow,  Red,  for  the  1st 
pair,  Orange  for  the  2nd,  and  so  on,  whilst  the  8th  and  9th 
are  painted  in  shades  of  Gray  and  Blue.  The  sympathetic 
is  Canary,  the  Phrenic  Greenish,  the  cardiac  Bright  Orange. 
The  moment  you  cast  your  eye  on  this  Preparation  which  I 
have  succeeded  in  making,  you  recognize  each  nerve  and  its 
branches  from  the  Colors. 

Dr.  Spalding  was  much  interested  in  the  study  of  tuber- 
culosis, and  fancied  that,  in  addition  to  fresh  air,  he  had 
found  a  cure  in  Sulphate  of  Copper. 

The  only  Obstetrical  paper  which  he  wrote  was  concern- 
" Interlocked  Twins." 

His  earliest  medical  paper  was  one  written  at  Portsmouth 
on  vaccination,  in  1800,  and  his  last  paper  was  on  the  same 
subject  in  New  York,  in  1820.  His  only  physiological  paper 
was  "On  the  Accommodation  of  the  Eye,"  in  which  he 
argued  that  the  crystalline  Lens  was  moved  to  and  fro  by 
the  extrinsic  muscles  of  the  Eye.  He  made  frequent  Post 
Mortem  examinations,  and  reported  an  instance  of  the  pelvis 
of  a  child  of  5  containing  in  a  cyst  a  well-formed  foetus. 

As  a  student  and  teacher  of  Chemistry,  he  stood  in  the 
front  rank  at  Hanover,  and  at  Portsmouth,  but  after  remov- 
ing to  New  York  he  seems  to  have  given  more  time  to 
Anatomy,  Surgery  and  Internal  Medicine. 

Amongst  the  physicians  of  New  York  with  whom  Dr. 
Spalding  consulted  and  whom  I  find  mentioned  in  his  medical 
papers,  was  Dr.  Richard  Sharp  Kissam  (1763-1822),  a 
fashionable  surgeon  and  medical  leader  in  New  York  for 
thirty  years.  He  performed,  for  instance,  69  lithotomies 
with  but  three  deaths.  He  was  devoted  to  Horace,  and  to 
Zimmerman,  the  Mystic  and  Poet,  whom  he  had  met  in 
Germany  and  who  had  presented  him  with  a  copy  of  his 
"Solitude"  which  Dr.  Kissam  highly  prized  and  often 
showed  to  his  friends. 

Dr.  Ansel  W.  Ives  (1787-1838),  another  warm  friend  and 
frequent  consultant,  was  a  favorite  scholar  of  Mott's,  and 
noted  for  his  very  successful  translation  of  Paris'  "Pharma- 
cologia." 


A  BRIEF  SUMMARY  .  331 

Dr.  Thomas  Cock  (1782-1869)  with  whom  Dr.  Spalding 
left  his  patients  when  out  of  town,  was  Professor  of  Anatomy 
and  Surgery  at  Rutgers,  and  later,  President  of  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  in  New  York.  The  City  of 
New  York  gave  him  a  Silver  Service  for  his  labors  during  an 
epidemic  of  Yellow  Fever,  but  his  final  reputation  was  based 
on  his  skill  as  an  obstetrician.  Active  in  practice  for  years, 
he  left  few  if  any  papers  on  medicine. 

Dr.  Hugh  Williamson  (1735-1819)  with  whom  Dr.  Spalding 
often  served  on  Medical  Committees  of  the  County  Medical 
Society  and  in  consultations  was  a  Nestor  of  the  profession 
in  those  days.  He  had  been  in  early  life  a  Professor  of 
Mathematics  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  but  his 
mind  finally  turned  to  medicine,  and  he  practiced  for  a 
while  in  North  Carolina.  He  ultimately  studied  abroad, 
and  after  his  return  he  settled  in  New  York  and  was  a 
famous  man.  That  he  was  highly  esteemed  was  proved  by 
the  fact  that  both  Dr.  James  Thacher  and  Dr.  David  Hosack 
wrote  a  "Life  of  Dr.  Williamson." 

Dr.  John  Cummings  Cheeseman  (1788-1865)  had  the 
reputation  of  a  conservative  surgeon  of  high  standing  on 
the  Staff  of  the  Hospital.  In  an  old  notebook  here  at  hand 
I  observe  that  as  he  and  Dr.  Spalding  were  once  walking 
from  some  consultation,  they  met  Dr.  Mott,  Dr.  Smith  and 
Dr.  Dykeman  on  a  similar  errand  and  as  they  sauntered 
along  they  talked  of  their  respective  Cases. 

Dr.  Joseph  Mather  Smith  (1789-1866),  just  mentioned, 
took  much  of  Dr.  Hosack's  practice  upon  his  retirement, 
was  a  Lecturer  on  Clinical  Medicine  at  the  College  of  Phy- 
sicians and  Surgeons,  and  wrote  many  medical  papers  of 
considerable  value  at  that  time. 

Dr.  Jacob  Dykeman  (1788-1822),  the  third  of  this  group  of 
consultants,  was  a  favorite  student  under  Dr.  David  Hosack, 
and  at  an  early  age  obtained  a  high  position  on  the  Board  of 
Health  of  New  York  City,  in  which  position  he  did  a  great 
deal  of  good  by  his  energetic  perseverance.  He  found  time, 
additionally,  to  edit  Duncan's  ''Dispensatory"  and  was  re- 
garded as  a  most  promising  young  physician,  when  he  sud- 
denly died  from  overwork  and  a  resultant  acute  tuberculosis 
of  the  lungs. 

Dr.  Valentine  Seaman  (1770-1817),  a  very  kind  friend  to 
Dr.  Spalding,  is  asserted  to  have  been  the  first  physician  to 
vaccinate  in  New  York,  obtaining  his  vaccine  personally 


332  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

from  Edward  Jenner.  He  twice  contracted  Yellow  Fever 
during  his  investigations  to  prove  that  it  was  not  a  con- 
tagious disease.  Dr.  Seaman  early  analyzed  the  medicinal 
value  of  the  waters  of  Saratoga  and  wrote  much  concerning 
them,  and  he  is  also  beheved  to  have  been  the  first  physician 
to  estabUsh  a  School  for  Nurses  in  New  York. 

Dr.  James  Ludo^dck  Phelps  (1785-1869)  often  assisted  Dr. 
Spalding  in  operations  of  various  sorts.  He  had  been  one 
of  Dr.  Spalding's  earhest  pupils  at  Fairfield,  but  as  that 
School  did  not  at  that  time  have  power  to  grant  degrees, 
Dr.  Phelps  obtained  his  at  Philadelphia,  served  as  Ship's 
Surgeon  on  a  Privateer  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  then  settled 
in  New  York.  He  wrote  various  medical  papers  which 
obtained  considerable  mention,  one  of  them  being  "On 
Rehgion  as  an  Element  of  Medicine,"  and  another  "On 
Spontaneous  Reduction  of  Hip  Joint  Dislocations." 

Dr.  Eh  Ives  of  New  Haven,  Connecticut  (1779-1861),  was 
fond  of  Dr.  Spalding,  gave  him  much  assistance  in  forming 
the  Pharmacopoeia,  demonstrated  for  Dr.  Nathan  Smith  at 
Yale,  became  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice  at  the  Medi- 
cal School  at  Yale,  and  was  at  one  time  President  of  the 
American  Medical  Association.  He  is  said  to  have  ad- 
ministered chloroform  to  insensibility  as  earlj^  as  1839,  but 
did  not  use  it  surgically,  at  that  time. 

From  a  Notebook  at  my  desk  as  I  write,  I  find  that  Dr. 
Ives  once  caUed  in  Dr.  Spalding  for  ad^dce  in  a  case  of 
Lumbar  Abscess  when  he  was  in  New  Haven. 

Amongst  other  societies  to  which  Dr.  Spalding  was  elected 
a  member  were  the  American  Antiquarian,  The  American 
Philosophical,  The  Preston  (England)  Literary  and  Philo- 
sophical Society,  and  the  Societa  Economica  Agraria,  del 
Georgofili,  of  Florence,  Itaty. 

Dr.  Spalding  was  deeply  religious,  belonged  to  St.  John's 
Parish  in  Portsmouth  and  St.  Paul's  Parish  in  New  York, 
taught  in  the  Sundaj'^  School  of  both  Parishes,  and  was  a 
Trustee  of  the  Free  Schools  of  New  York.  It  was  a  bright 
day  in  his  life  when  his  friend,  Dr.  Mitchill,  as  President  of 
the  Trustees,  presented  to  his  daughter,  Ehzabeth,  a  Gold 
Medal  for  Scholarship. 

When  Dr.  Spalding  moved  to  New  York  only  one  physi- 
sician.  Dr.  Bard,'  drove  to  visit  patients,  but  later  on  all 

'  (1742-1821;;  First  President  of  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons of  New  York. 


A  BRIEF  SUMMARY  333 

fell  into  the  habit,  as  it  saved  being  buttonholed  on  their 
rounds. 

A  bit  of  paper  informs  me  that  Grandfather's  income  for 
one  year,  his  second  in  New  York,  was  $1646.  Beyond  that 
I  have  no  knowledge  of  what  he  made  in  practice. 

He  was  asked  at  one  time  for  the  sake  of  pubUc  health  to 
report  the  condition  of  Beekman  Street,  and  here  is  a  Hst  of 
what  he  observed :  Offal  of  fish  and  fowl,  beef  bones,  barrels 
of  sha\dngs,  potato  peelings,  decayed  apples,  corn  cobs,  crab 
and  clam  shells,  chimney  soot,  pea  pods,  cellar  rubbish,  six 
loads  of  cow  manure  standing  in  the  roadway  for  24  hours, 
bricks,  mortar,  a  dead  hog,  ■with  a  dead  cat  and  hen  Ijing 
alongside. 

My  Father,  as  I  have  said,  used  to  fish  off  of  Wall  Street 
wharf  as  late  as  1821,  and  once  he  followed  with  the  crowd 
a  cart  containing  a  man  with  a  rope  around  his  neck  and 
seated  on  his  coffin,  on  his  way  to  the  foot  of  Wall  Street 
where  he  was  hanged  from  the  yard  arm  of  a  brig. 

A  Portland,  Maine,  "Argus"  of  November  11,  1819,  dates 
this  occurrence  for  me. 

One  of  the  houses  occupied  by  the  Spalding  Family  was 
not  far  from  the  rear  of  one  belonging  to  Aaron  Burr,  and 
the  boys  used  to  peep  through  the  fence  and  if  they  saw  ■Mr. 
Burr  they  would  occasionally  have  courage  to  cry  out: 
"Who  killed  Hamilton?"  and  then  run  for  dear  life. 

The  amusements  of  the  Spalding  family  were  few:  a 
lecture,  a  concert,  fireworks  at  Delacroix's  Garden  and,  per- 
haps, a  play,  filled  out  the  list.  The  family  generally  passed 
the  summer  in  Portsmouth,  but  one  year  they  lived  on  a 
farm  at  Bergen,  Dr.  Spalding  coming  over  once  a  week  on 
the  ferry  and  then  walking  the  rest  of  the  way.  On  one 
occasion  the  family  ^'isited  the  Frigate  "President"  just  be- 
fore she  sailed  out  to  be  captured  by  four  British  vessels, 
early  in  January,  1815.  Lieutenant  Babbitt,  who  had  given 
them  the  in\'itation,  was  killed  in  this  action. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  Pharmacopoeia  of  the  United  States:   its  Origin  and  Col- 
laborators.   Accident  to  Dr.  Spalding.    Return  to 
Portsmouth,  and  Death.    1817-1821. 

For  ten  years  during  the  daily  interruptions  of  an  active 
practice,  I  have  done  my  best  to  elucidate  the  old  docu- 
ments on  which  this  work  is  founded  and  to  throw  light  in 
that  way  on  the  career  of  my  Grandfather.  I  have  fol- 
lowed in  his  footsteps  with  hardly  a  score  of  his  own  letters 
as  a  guide,  and  it  is  now  my  final  task  to  mention  what  I 
have  discovered  concerning  the  composition  of  the  Pharma- 
copoeia of  the  United  States,  his  closing  work  in  medicine. 

I  think  that  Dr.  Spalding  first  obtained  the  idea  of  a 
National  Pharmacopoeia  from  Barton's  "Collections  for  an 
Essay  toward  a  Materia  Medica  for  the  United  States"  read 
before  the  Philadelphia  Medical  Society,  February  21,  1798. 
For  in  mentioning  certain  drugs.  Barton  says,  "They  should 
have  a  place  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  of  this  Country,  when 
such  a  Desideratum  shall  be  supplied."  In  a  similar  essay 
of  1804,  Barton  repeats  these  words  and  causes  them  to  be 
printed  in  Small  Capitals.  I  know  that  in  1808,  Dr.  Spald- 
ing discussed  the  Pharmacopoeia  with  Dr.  Smith  and  Dr. 
Ramsay.  It  is  furthermore  probable  that  when  Dr.  Spald- 
ing visited  Philadelphia,  in  1809,  and  saw  Dr.  Barton  daily, 
he  conversed  with  him  on  the  possible  chances  of  ever  com- 
posing a  work  so  much  needed  by  physicians. 

Whether  these  surmises  are  true  or  not,  it  may  be  safely 
said  that  Dr.  Spalding  was  the  first  physician  in  this  country 
to  read  a  paper  on  a  National  Pharmacopoeia,  and  to  offer 
a  working  basis  for  its  foundation.  Although  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  carry  out  his  idea,  in  the  end,  he  did  nearly 
all  of  the  work,  personally,  and  carried  the  book  through  to 
publication  and  sale.  To  him,  then,  the  merit,  such  as  it 
may  be.  Drugs  may  be  less  used  than  of  old,  but  in  that 
era  they  were  the  stock  in  trade  of  every  physician.  The 
practice  of  medicine  then  was  the  giving  of  drugs.  Dr. 
Spalding  not  only  consolidated  all  previous  descriptions  of 

334 


THE  PHARMACOPOEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES     335 

drugs  into  a  pharmacopoeia  that  should  be  National,  but  he 
set  an  example  which  physicians  of  other  countries  followed. 

A  History  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  appears  in  every  new 
edition  of  that  Work,  but  its  intimate  history  is  better  seen 
in  the  appended  letters,  which  show  its  originator  as  the 
leader  of  a  small  band  of  intelligent  physicians  whom  he 
rallied  to  his  aid,  and  who  accomplished  their  purpose  in 
spite  of  the  great  difficulties  of  travel  and  communication  by 
mail  which  then  prevailed. 

As  I  have  already  said,  Dr.  Spalding  read  before  the  New 
York  County  Medical  Society,  Monday,  January  6,  1817, 
his  paper  setting  forth  the  needs  of  a  National  Pharma- 
copoeia: physicians  were  using  different  books  in  com- 
pounding their  drugs,  the  names  of  those  drugs  varied  eveiy- 
where,  some  drugs  were  inert,  others  were  compounded  on 
foreign  standards,  different  textbooks  were  used  in  different 
medical  schools  of  instruction,  doses  were  unlike  in  various 
parts  of  the  nation :  in  a  word  National  Uniformity  was  im- 
perative. 

When  his  paper  was  finished  a  Committee  w^is  appointed, 
including  Dr.  Spalding  and  his  personal  friends,  Mitchill, 
Hosack,  Rodgers,  Stevens,  Watt,  Post,  Sterns,  Sykes^  and 
Beck.2 

This  Committee  met  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Spalding,  and 
from  there  he  personally  mailed  the  Circulars  concerning 
the  Pharmacopoeia,  to  the  entire  medical  world.  The  Com- 
mittee reported  progress,  occasionally,  to  the  County  So- 
ciety, and  in  1818,  they  presented  a  Plan  to  divide  the 
Country  into   Northern,   Middle,    Southern   and   Western 

^  James  Sykes  (1761-1822)  of  Dover,  Delaware,  was  a  very  religious 
man,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  wave  of  a  fervent  Revival,  he  was  swept  on 
the  wave  of  Reform  into  the  Governor's  chair  of  Delaware,  where  he 
was  a  conspicuous  success.  When  Dr.  Edward  Miller,  of  New  York, 
died,  Dr.  Sykes,  who  had  practiced  side  by  side  mth  him  in  Dover, 
took  his  practice  and  obtained  fame  as  a  lithotomist.  Gout,  however, 
getting,  as  we  may  say,  a  foothold  upon  him,  he  went  back  to  Dover 
where  he  died. 

2  Theodric  Romeyne  Beck  (1791-1855)  was  lecturer  on  Medical 
Jurisprudence  for  one  term  under  Dr.  Spalding's  Presidency  at  Fair- 
field, and  continued  in  that  Chair  until  the  school  was  dissolved.  He 
then  lectured  on  Materia  Medica  and  Insanity  in  which  he  was  greatly 
interested,  at  the  Albany  School.  He  edited  for  many  years  "The 
American  Journal  of  Insanity,"  and  with  his  brother  John  Broadhead 
Beck  wrote  the  earliest  book  on  "Medical  Jurisprudence"  in  the  world. 


336  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Sections,  and  to  invite  the  State  Medical  Societies  and  local 
Medical  Schools  of  that  district  to  send  delegates  to  a  Con- 
vention to  be  held  in  1819  in  each  Section.  The  Four  Sec- 
tions were  to  choose  delegates  to  a  National  Convention,  to 
be  held  in  Washington,  in  1820,  at  which  time  it  was  hoped 
that  the  work  might  be  completed. 

During  these  years,  the  news  that  the  Phannacopceia  was 
underway  brought  to  its  originator  many  letters  from  which 
I  choose  for  printing  only  those  which  throw  light  on  the 
progress  of  the  work.  Here  are  two  from  Dr.  Shattuck  and 
Dr.  Warren  introducing  to  our  notice  a  possible  publisher  for 
the  Pharmacopoeia  when  completed. 

Dr.  Shattuck's  letter  reads  in  this  way: 

"Boston,  November  24,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  Mr.  Wait,  proprietor 
of  Thacher's  "New  England  Dispensatory"  hands  you  this  letter. 
His  object  is  to  procure  the  countenance  of  your  ablest  Physicians 
to  this  valuable  pubUcation.  He  desires  that  it  may  become  the 
American  work,  to  be  recommended  to  the  public  by  the  public 
teachers  of  medicine.  Dr.  Thacher  has  promised  Mr.  Wait  to 
conform  the  next  edition  of  the  Dispensatory  to  the  Pharmacopoeia 
wliich  you  are  now  about  establishing.  Any  suggestion  you  may 
make  to  Mr.  Wait  in  facilitating  the  accomplishment  of  his  design 
will  be  gratefully  remembered,  by  Sir,  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't,  Geo.  C. 
Shattuck." 

and  Dr.  Warren's  is  nearly  to  the  same  effect: 

"Boston,  24  Nov'r,  1817.  My  Dear  Sir:  I  beg  leave  to  mtro- 
duce  to  you  Mr.  Wait  of  this  town.  Mr.  W.  is  proprietor  of  Thach- 
er's "Dispensatory,"  and  is  desirous  to  converse  with  you  on  the 
subject  of  the  American  Pharmacopoeia.  This,  I  had  no  doubt 
would  be  agreeable  to  you,  as  Mr.  Wait  may  contribute  to  the  pros- 
ecution of  the  plan,  and  you  may,  perhaps,  be  able  to  assist  him  if 
the  American  Pharmacopoeia  should  go  on.  Mr.  Wait  is  a  gentle- 
man of  Intelligence  and  stands  at  the  head  of  his  profession  here. 
I  am  with  great  regard,  Y'r  Friend,  J.  C.  Warren." 

Three  months  later  Dr.  Spalding  must  have  been  dis- 
couraged to  learn  from  Dr.  Warren,  that  Massachusetts  was 
planning  to  issue  a  revised  edition  of  its  own  Pharmacopoeia. 

"Boston,  21  March,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  I  feel  myself  very  much 
obhged  by  your  present  of  Ramsay  "On  the  Brain," ^  as  I  did  not 
possess  the  book,  before. 

'  Alexander  Ramsay's  "Brain"  had  a  great  run  at  this  time,  being 
well  written  and  containing  fine  illustrations  from  plates  engraved  by 
the  author. 


^C^t^     JC2.^         2//  /^// 


C' 


\'0r.    W.^,  ,-^^ 


'  /y/  A:  ^y^ 

FROM  DR.  SHATTUCK  ON  THE  PHARMACOPOEIA 


THE  PHARMACOPGEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    337 

At  the  last  meeting  of  our  Medical  Society  a  Committee  was 
appointed  to  revise  and  re-publish  the  Massachusetts  Pharma- 
copoeia, of  wliich  Committee,  I  have  the  honour  to  be  chairman. 
The  Comm:  were  also  empowered  to  correspond  on  the  subject  with 
medical  societies  in  other  States,  if  they  saw  occasion.  Should 
you  have  any  remarks  to  make  you  will  oblige  us  by  transmitting 
them.    We  propose  that  the  work  shall  proceed  slowly. 

Dr.  Jackson  and  myself  have  determined  to  relinquish  the 
practice  of  midwifery.^  The  mode  in  which  we  wish  to  do  it,  is 
to  transfer  that  business  to  the  hands  of  a  well-educated  female. 
We  wish  to  inquire  of  you,  whether  there  are  any  such  females  in 
New  York,  and  would  be  extremely  obhged  by  your  ideas  on  the 
subject.2" 

The  rest  of  the  letter  refers  to  the  vacancy  in  the  Ana- 
tomical Chair  at  Philadephia,  and  has  already  been  inserted 
in  the  Chapter  of  this  work  deahng  with  that  episode  after 
which  Dr.  Warren  signs  himself;  Believe  me,  My  Dear  Sir, 
with  Great  Regards,  Y'r  friend,  J.  C.  Warren. 

The  next  news  concerning  the  Pharmacopoeia  comes  from 
Dr.  Lemuel  Kollock  (1766-1823),  a  man  with  a  remarkable 
career.  Descended  from  the  Huguenots  he  was  born  in 
Wrentham,  Massachusetts,  where  his  Father  was  a  town 
official.  Lemuel  as  a  child  suffered  from  "Scrofula"  in  the 
eyes  which  left  his  sight  impaired  for  life.  He  persevered 
despite  this  handicap,  and  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Carter 
of  Newport,  Rhode  Island.  In  Dr.  Carter's  home  he  met  a 
Southerner,  who  induced  him  to  settle  in  Georgia,  where  I 
have  found  him  first,  on  Cumberland  Island  and  later  on  in 
Savannah.  Dr.  Kollock  wrote  many  medical  papers,  one 
on  "Scarlatina"  being  of  more  than  ordinary  merit. 

"Savannah,  9  June,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  been  so  often  ob- 
liged by  your  kindnesses,  that  I  feel  ashamed  that  I  have  been  so 
long  a  defaulter  in  acknowledgements,  at  least.  Your  favors  of 
the  Bills  of  Mortahty  for  Portsmouth  which  you  were  so  kind  as 
to  forward  to  me,  I  have  filed  in  the  Collections  of  the  Med.  Soc.  of 
tliis  State.    We  have  felt  obhged  by  these  coromunications,  and 

1  The  idea  of  Dr.  Shattuck  and  Dr.  Warren  abandoning  the  practice 
of  midwifery  may  have  originated  from  the  publication  not  long  before 
of  a  paper  by  Sir  Anthony  Carlisle  of  London,  "On  the  Impropriety  of 
Men  being  Employed  in  Midwifery."  Sir  Anthony  (1768-1840)  was 
a  man  whose  opinions  carried  away  all  opposition. 

2  This  paragraph  is  outlined  on  the  margin  of  the  letter  and  marked : 
PRIVATE! 


338  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

have  endeavored  to  make  you  a  return  from  our  place,  but  such  is 
the  fluctuation  of  our  population,  and  the  hitherto  impracticabihty 
of  securing  anj^thing  Uke  exactness  or  regularity  of  retm'n,  that  we 
have  not  felt  ourselves  authorized  to  make  an  official  pubhcation 
We  are  endeavoring  to  institute  more  method  and  order  to  amelio- 
rate our  climate  by  attending  to  local  circumstances  which  have 
hitherto,  we  conceive,  been  too  little  regarded,  but  which  have  had 
powerful  influence  upon  the  health  of  our  Town.  Surrounded  as 
we  are  by  marshy  low  grounds,  much  of  them  cultivated  in  rice, 
and  in  a  Latitude  of  31°  we  could  not  otherwise  than  be  sickly, 
especially  in  the  Autumnal  months.  These  lands  are  to  be  drained 
and  the  rice-culture  abolished,  in  the  inmiediate  vicinity  of  the 
Town.  This  work  is  now  gomg  on,  and  when  carried  into  complete 
effect  we  feel  authorized  to  expect  great  diminution  of  febrile 
diseases,  and  an  ameUoration  of  climate.  The  actual  situation  of 
the  Town  upon  elevated  sandy  ground  of  considerable  extent, 
furnishing  pure  water  is  favorable  to  health  and  if  these  sources 
of  miasmatic  exhalations  are  dried,  I  doubt  not  but  Savannah 
might  vie  in  salubrity  with  most  of  the  Atlantic  Towns. 

With  regard  to  the  great  national  work  the  New  York  Society 
have  projected,  I  tliink  it  a  highly  important  and  creditable  scheme. 
How  far  we  shall  have  zeal  to  materially  contribute  to  the  work,  I 
know  not,  but  fear  it  will  be  difficult  to  excite  much  ardour  or  in- 
dustry in  a  work  of  this  sort,  at  present.  The  meeting  of  our 
Society  when  the  Circular  was  laid  before  them  was  not  a  full  one, 
and  local  matters  occupied  the  attention,  principally.  The  future 
Resolutions  on  the  subject  will  be  commmiicated  to  you.  It  is 
difficult,  I  believe,  to  keep  alive  an  efficient  zeal  in  medical  Asso- 
ciations except  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Medical  Schools,  which 
furnish  continued  excitement.  We  find  it  the  case  in  tliis  languor 
inspiring  climate :  there  are  but  few  minds  here  that  do  not  require 
the  impulse  of  necessity  to  excite  to  much  continued  exertion.  We 
find  but  few  David  Ramsays. 

The  death  of  the  late  Dr.  McBride  of  Charleston^  has  deprived 
the  Southern  Section  of  a  powerful  auxiliary  to  such  a  work.  I 
doubt  if  he  has  left  one  behind  him  who  has  amassed  so  much 
knowledge  of  the  indigenous  products  of  this  country  in  a  medical 
point  of  view.     His  papers,  I  hope,  will  furnish  much  aid. 

With  much  respect,  I  am,  Y'r  Obliged  and  humble  Serv't,  L. 

KOLLOCK." 

^  Dr.  James  McBride  (1784-1817)  was  a  very  eminent  physician 
who  was  graduated  at  Yale  in  the  Class  with  John  Calhoun,  and  who 
practiced  in  Princeville  and  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  He  was  a 
profound  botanical  Scholar,  wrote  much  upon  that  topic,  and  had 
attained  a  very  hi^h  standing  in  the  profession  when  he  was  carried 
off  suddenly  by  Yellow  Fever. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    339 

Directly  afterwards  came  more  discouraging  news  from 
Dr.  Jacob  De  La  Motta  of  Savannah. 

"Savannah  (Georgia),  August  4th,  1818.  Dear  Sir-  It  was  my 
intention  to  have  written  you,  prior  to  tlie  receipt  of  your  last  com- 
munication, but  deferred  it  until  I  could  state  the  result  of  the 
deliberation  of  the  Medical  Society  on  the  subject  of  the  intended 
Pharmacopoeia.  Not  having  been  present  when  the  nature  of 
your  letter  was  considered,  I  cannot  minutely  state  the  particulars. 
However,  from  information,  I  can  say  the  President  was  directed 
to  address  you,  and  am  led  to  believe  that  the  tenor  of  his  communi- 
cation will  not  be  satisfactory  to  your  wishes,  as  the  Society  con- 
siders the  undertaking  arduous  and  attended  with  considerable  in- 
convenience. The  apathy  and  indifference  manifested  by  many  of 
our  Medical  Men,  on  subjects  involving  medical  improvement  is 
too  well  known  and  I  doubt  whether  this  Society  will  accord  with 
what  seems  to  have  been  generally  approved  of  by  Medical  Societies 
in  other  Sections  of  the  Union.  I  shall  endeavor  to  urge  a  recon- 
sideration of  the  subject,  and  shall  make  every  exertion  to  induce 
them  to  forward  so  laudable  an  undertaking.  Should  my  efforts 
fail,  I  will  certainly  comply  with  my  promise  in  giving  you  my 
feeble  aid  in  collecting  and  digesting  all  the  information  and  im- 
provements that  have  been  suggested  to  my  mind  duruig  the  time 
I  was  engaged  in  Pharmaceutical  pursuits  in  New  York.  Should 
I  be  tardy  in  the  execution  I  trust  you  will  readily  impute  such 
delay  to  professional  concerns,  as  the  season  is  about  approaching 
when  the  time  of  Physicians  is  generally  completely  employed. 

Since  my  location  in  this  part  of  the  Union,  my  expectations 
have  been  realized,  and  my  prospects  in  business  are  very  promising. 
I  have  formed  a  connection  in  business  with  an  old  and  respectable 
practitioner  of  this  place,  who  has  ever  commanded  the  largest 
share  of  practice,  and  I  may  truly  say,  I  see  everything  to  render 
my  situation  pleasing. 

Should  you  think  proper  to  write  me,  I  wiU  thank  you  to  explain; 
whether  the  expenses  of  the  District  Delegates  as  well  as  the  dele- 
gates to  the  National  Convention  is  to  be  defrayed  out  of  the  sum 
for  which  the  copyright  will  sell?  In  this  State  there  is  but  one 
Medical  Society.  In  forming  a  District  Convention,  is  Georgia  to 
inform  the  other  Societies  in  the  Southern  Division,  of  their  wiUing- 
ness  to  co-operate  with  them,  and  in  what  place  they  will  hold  their 
Meeting?  This  requires  explanation,  as  the  Circular  does  not  ex- 
press in  what  manner,  information  shall  be  given  in  order  to  effect 
a  District  Meeting.  It  appears  to  my  mind,  that  a  Pharmacopoeia 
could  readily  be  compiled  by  a  few  individuals  in  this  City,  but  the 
difficulty  would  arise  in  giving  information  to  the  neighboring 
Societies  within  the  precincts  of  this  Division.    The  trouble  of 


340  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

making  communications  to  the  several  Societies  within  the  Southern 
Jurisdiction  would  be  greater  than  to  form  a  Pharmacopoeia  locally. 
As  the  period  is  somewhat  distant  which  shall  complete  the  under- 
taking, you  will  have  ample  time  to  make  such  suggestions  as  may 
further  j'our  wishes. 

Our  Citj'-  is  very  healthy,  as  yet,  but  I  attribute  this  blessing  to 
the  scarcity  of  rain.  We  have  had  an  uncommon  dry  season; 
consequently,  vegetable  decomposition  and  the  formation  of  miasma 
is  retarded;  the  too  frequent  agents  in  producing  our  Fever. 

Allow  me  the  pleasure  of  considering  myself,  With  Respect, 
Yom-  Friend,  Jacob  De  La  Motta.^" 

In  sending  out  his  circulars  Dr.  Spalding  had  not  for- 
gotten his  Portsmouth  friends  and  now  Dr.  Langdon  writes 
as  follows : 

"Portsmouth,  Sept.  11,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  The  circulars  you  sent 
by  my  Father  in  the  Spring,  with  regard  to  a  National  Pharma- 
copoeia, according  to  your  request  I  distributed.  The  Medical 
Society  at  their  last  meeting  appointed  a  Committee,  and  did 
something  more  upon  the  subject.^  Dr.  Pierrepont  tells  me  that 
he  shall  write  you,  shortly,  an  account  of  their  proceedings. 

The  package,  also,  by  Mr.  Parry  enclosing  Bills  of  Mortality  I 
have  received  safe,  and  as  you  requested  have  waited  upon  the 
physicians  who  practiced  here  in  those  years.  Dr.  Cutter  says  he 
possesses  no  means  of  information,  neither  did  his  son  William 
leave  any  data  from  which  information  can  be  taken.  Dr.  Pierre- 
pont has  never  kept  any  account,  and  therefore  is  imable  to  make 
any  corrections.  Dr.  Dwight  undertook  to  make  some.  You  will 
see  by  the  Bills,  how  he  succeeded.  I  expected  he  would  have  been 
able  to  do  more. 

The  letter  to  the  Selectmen  I  have  also  handed  to  Mr.  Langdon 
their  Chairman  to  be  laid  before  the  Board.  The  Bills  of  MortaUty 
you  will  receive  herewith  enclosed. 

1  Dr.  De  La  Motta  (1788-1845)  was  born  in  Savannah  and  during 
his  medical  studies  met  Dr.  Spalding  first  in  Philadelphia  and  later  in 
New  York  where  he  gave  much  attention  to  Materia  Medica.  He 
served  as  a  Ship's  Surgeoh  during  the  War  of  1812,  and  then  practiced 
in  his  native  place  becoming  a  member  of  the  State  Medical  and  His- 
torical Societies.  His  pamphlet  "On  Spirca"  is  worth  recalling,  as 
well  as  the  fact  that  as  a  reward  of  his  botanical  and  Medical  writ- 
ings he  was  chosen  an  Honorary  Member  of  the  French  Academy  of 
Science. 

*  The  records  of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society  show  that  a 
committee  of  three,  Dr.  Matthias  Spalding,  Dr.  David  L.  Morrill  and 
Dr.  Daniel  Adams  wag  appointed  to  communicate  with  Dr.  Lyman 
Spalding  and  give  him  ail  possible  assistance. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    341 

The  state  of  enterprise  in  medical  science  here  is  such  as  it  was 
when  you  were  with  us,  and  still  needs  Spirit,  and  Enterprise  like 
yours  to  make  its  existence  appear.  Our  State  will  not  probably 
be  able  to  furnish  much  matter  towards  the  great  work  you  have 
undertaken.  Still  that  you  may  well  and  fully  succeed  in  so  great 
and  so  useful  an  undertaking  is  my  earnest  wish.  Yours  with 
Much  Esteem,  W.  Eustis  Langdon." 

Dr.  Pierrepont  also  mentions  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  gives 
us  Family  news. 

"Portsmouth,  Sept.  16,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  You  kindly  offer  to 
electioneer  for  me,  so  that  I  should  be  one  of  the  grand  Med'l  Con- 
vention, for  which  I  feel  obliged  to  you.  In  contemplating  on  this 
favorite  subject  and  in  organizing  its  various  stages,  it  occurred  to 
you  to  compliment  your  old  acquaintance.  But,  on  cool  reflection 
you  must  without  doubt  have  seen  how  inappropriate  to  my  taste 
would  be  a  mission  like  that.  I  should  be  dehghted  to  visit  you, 
and  N.  Y.,  but  it  must  be  in  the  indolent  character  of  a  private 
friend.  But  for  a  Mission!  The  only  one  that  would  please  me 
must  lead  me  to  the  solitudes  of  a  dark  and  noiseless  wilderness: 
to  the  centre  of  a  desert  whose  extent  should  be  that  of  one  quarter 
of  the  World.  Respecting  this  National  work  contemplated,  I 
wish  you  all  success  that  its  nature  is  susceptible  of.  I  hope  you 
will  effect  its  establishment,  and  be  dehghted  with  the  share  of 
reputation  resulting  from  its  accomplishment. 

I  did  not  attend  the  meeting  of  the  N.  H.  M.  S.,  but  have  within 
a  few  days  been  informed  that  arrangement  is  made  to  meet  the 
first  stage  of  this  subject. 

In  this  section  of  the  country  everything  goes  on  with  a  specific 
torpor  and  in  particular,  medical  science.  It  is  probable,  our  con- 
tributions cannot  be  extensive  or  very  conspicuous.  Here,  is  a 
large  and  dense  cloud  (perhaps  filled  with  fiery  storms)  but  we 
want  some  one  to  rouse,  agitate  and  make  them  coruscate. 

But,  to  quit  this  subject.  Yom'  Father  Coues  has  an  enlarge- 
ment of  the  Parotid  Gland:  at  times,  considerably  painful,  not 
however  having  that  pecuhar  hardness  of  the  common  schirri. 
There  is  a  degree  of  elastic  feeHng  as  if  a  fluid  was  contained  in  a 
thick  sac  of  a  texture  like  a  tendon.  He  at  present  has  it  covered 
with  a  plaster  of  the  Cicuta,  taking  an  alterative.  If  I  had  your 
apparatus,  I  should  propose  to  occasionally  electrify  it.  Would 
not  that  change  its  constitution  and  irritabihty?  If  agreeable  to 
you  to  write,  stating  your  selected  treatment,  I  will  with  fidelity 
execute  it."^ 

^  Whether  Captain  Coues  died  from  this-apparent  Cancer  I  do  not 
know. 


342  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  trouble  yourself  in  my  behalf  so 
much  as  to  see  if  I  can  be  supplied  with  Crevier's  "History  of  the 
Emperors"  (10  Vols.)/  Wakefield's  "Lucretius  de  Natura  Rerum" 
(4  Vols.),^  Mitford's  "History  of  Greece,"  Young's  "Works,"  or 
Johnson's  edition  of  Pope's  Works  (not  his  Homer).  Please  write 
me  as  soon  as  convenient,  and  I  will  remit  to  jou  on  them,  and 
should  any  of  these  volumes  be  obtained,  will  you  furthermore 
trouble  yourseK  to  see  them  forwarded  by  safe  conveyance.  With 
Respect  and  Esteem,  J.  H.  Piekrepont."* 

Amongst  the  physicians  whom  Dr.  Spalding  planned  to 
interest  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  was  Dr.  Nathaniel  Potter  of 
Baltimore  (1770-1843),  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice  of 
Medicine  in  the  University  of  Maryland  for  thirty-six  years. 
He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Rush,  obtained  his  degree  at 
Philadelphia  in  1796,  his  graduating  thesis  having  for 
subject  "The  Medicinal  and  Deleterious  Effects  of  Arsenic." 
He  experimented  personally  with  yellow  fever  excretions  to 
prove  that  this  disease  was  not  contagious;  wrote  copiously 
on  medical  topics,  and  edited  books  "On  Fevers"  and 
"Practice."  He  also  established  "The  Baltimore  Medical 
Lycseum"  and  "The  Maryland  Medical  and  Surgical 
Journal." 

Here  we  have  Dr.  Potter's  reply  to  the  Circular: 

"Baltimore,  Nov.  28,  1818.  Dear  Su:  I  am  sm-e  you  will  par- 
don me  for  an  apparent  neglect  for  not  having  sooner  repUed  to 
your  polite  favor,  when  I  assure  you  that  a  sick  family  had  sus- 
pended all  my  correspondence  from  the  last  of  September  till  this 
day.  Accept  of  my  thanks  for  the  specimen  of  your  contemplated 
work  "On  Fever."  Although  the  subject  is  too  momentous  and 
interesting  for  me  to  pronounce  on  it  at  first  view,  I  will  embrace 
an  early  opportunity  of  offering  the  candid  expression  of  my  senti- 
ments. The  question  as  to  Nosology  is  drawing  to  a  close.  To  be 
or  not  to  be,  is  now  the  question.  In  my  Course  on  the  Theory 
and  Practice  of  Medicine  I  disregard  all  nosological  arrangements, 
unless  it  is  to  criticize  such  arti£cial,  unnatural  combinations. 
Whether  it  be  possible  to  establish  a  perfect  Nosology  is  the  question 

1  Jean  Louis  Crevier  (1693-1765)  was  Professor  of  Rhetoric  at 
Bcauvais,  and  wrote,  amongst  many  others,  this  "History,"  once 
famous,  but  now  dusty  on  library  shelves. 

2  Gilbert  Wakefield  (1756-1801)  was  a  wonderful  Latinist,  and  tre- 
mendously industrious  with  ancient  writers.  His  "Lucretius"  was  an 
immense  piece  of  erudition. 

»  The  list  of  books  shows  Dr.  Pierrepont's  reading.  Over  the  names 
mentioned  are  written  these  figures.     "C.  $20,  "L.  $22,  "M.  $30. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    343 

first  to  be  settled.  Me  judice,  such  a  work  or  rather  such  a  Vision 
can  exist  only  in  the  distorted  imagination  of  the  remnant  of  the 
old  Methodic  Sect.  Can  a  man  be  a  correct  pathologist  who  be- 
lieves that  he  can  class  diseases  with  the  same  certainty  and  facility 
that  governs  the  naturahst  in  arranging  animals  and  vegetables? 
This  would  be  to  make  every  man's  body  the  same,  which  is  physi- 
cally impossible.  We  need  not  multiply  arguments  on  this  subject. 
I  am  informed  a  learned  Prof,  in  yom*  city  is  about  to  issue  from 
the  press  "A  New  Nosology."  He  must  have  httle  to  do  to  under- 
take at  this  day  to  revive  the  obsolete  project  of  teaching  physick 
by  names.  I  can  assure  him,  that  unless  it  contain  something 
more  luminous  than  anything  that  has  yet  emanated  from  the  same 
som'ce,  he  will  find  it  roughly  handled  in  Baltimore! 

Our  University  has  chosen  no  delegates  to  the  Convention  to 
be  convened  at  Philadelphia  in  June,  next.  The  Faculty  of  the 
School  thought  it  prudent  to  leave  the  election  to  the  State  Faculty, 
with  a  view  of  commanding  all  the  talents  out  of  which  a  better 
selection  might  be  made,  as  well  as  to  conciliate  the  good  will  of 
that  numerous  body  toward  the  University.  Accordingly,  in  June 
last,  the  Faculty  of  Maryland  balloted  for  five  deputies,  and  Dr. 
Martin,^  Dr.  De  Butts,^  Dr.  Baker/  Dr.  Wilkins  *  and  your  humble 

1  Samuel  Blair  Martin  (1785-1875)  served  in  the  War  of  1812  as 
an  Army  Sm-geon,  and  then  as  Ship's  Surgeon  to  the  East  Indies  and 
back,  before  settling  in  Baltimore,  about  1819.  He  made  his  name 
known  by  his  activity  during  an  epidemic  of  Yellow  Fever  in  that 
City  and  was  rewarded  for  his  courage  with  the  appointment  of  PubUc 
Health  Office,  a  position  which  he  held  for  years. 

2  Ehsha  De  Butts  (1773-1831),  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Maryland,  was  an  eloquent  Irishman  who  came  to  Baltimore 
in  childhood,  and  was  graduated  at  Philadelphia  in  1805,  presenting  a 
Thesis  "On  the  Eye  and  Vision."  He  practiced  in  Alexandria  and  then 
in  Washington,  and  was  a  clever  conversationaUst.  His  papers  "On 
Thermometer,"  and  on  "A  New  Volta  Pile"  added  to  chemical  knowl- 
edge. He  was  of  great  assistance  in  the  foundation  of  the  Pharma- 
copoeia, and  in  correcting  the  Final  Proofs  he  was  of  special  aid  to  the 
originator. 

^  Samuel  Baker  (1785-1835)  practiced  in  Baltimore  and  received 
many  honorable  elections  to  offices  from  his  brothers  in  medicine.  He 
early  became  interested  in  nervous  diseases,  wrote  a  graduating  thesis 
at  Philadelphia,  in  1806,  on  "St.  Vitus  Dance,"  and  specialized,  as  it 
were,  in  such  affections  during  his  entire  career.  For  twenty-four 
years  he  lectured  on  Materia  Medica  at  the  Medical  School  of  the 
University  of  Maryland,  and  was  another  valuable  assistant  in  com- 
pleting the  Pharmacopoeia. 

*  Dr.  Henry  Wilkins  was  a  man  of  considerable  reputation  in  Medical 
Maryland.  The  date  of  his  birth  and  death  are  imcertain,  but  he 
obtained  his  medical  degree  at  Philadelphia  in  1793,  served  in  the  War 
of  1812  and  lectured  on  Materia  Medica  and  Chemistry  in  the  Medical 


344  BR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

servant  were  elected.  We  cordially  approve  of  your  plan  and 
duly  estimate  the  honour  of  the  appointment,  and  will  co-operate 
as  far  as  our  talents  and  industry  will  authorize  us.  Any  further 
information  on  the  subject  will  be  gratefully  received  by  me,  and 
will  be  communicated  to  my  colleagues. 

Your  question  respecting  the  Weights  used  by  the  apothecaries 
of  our  city  resolves  itself  into  this.  In  Compounding  medicine, 
they  all  use  twelve  ounces  to  the  pound  and  in  selling  they  give 
sixteen.  This  is  the  uniform  custom  in  this  place,  and  perhaps 
throughout  the  Union;  at  least  as  far  as  my  knowledge  permits 
me  to  speak. 

Should  the  Nosology  alluded  to  be  printed,  I  will  esteem  it  a 
favour  if  you  will  furnish  me  with  a  copy.  The  price  of  it  will  im- 
mediately be  remitted  and  the  favor  reciprocated  by  me  in  any  way 
I  can  serve  you,  here.  Let  me  hear  from  you,  and  Beheve  me, 
Yours  With  Great  Respect,  Nath'l  Potter." 

I  find  about  this  date,  and  will  here  insert,  a  copy  of  a 
letter  from  Dr.  Spalding  to  Dr.  Hewson  of  Philadelphia,  in 
which  mention  is  made  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  of  another 
idea  of  Dr.  Spalding's,  a  system  of  Medical  Police,  something 
like  our  Boards  of  Health,  or  Medical  Ethics. 

"To  Dr.  T.  T.  Hewson,  Pliiladelphia.  New  York,  October  10, 
1818.  Dear  Sir:  In  March  last  I  had  the  honour  of  forwarding 
to  you  the  Circular  on  the  American  Pharmacopoeia.  In  conse- 
quence of  a  correspondence  which  has  since  been  carried  on  between 
Doctors  Mitchill  and  Cutbush,^  we  are  led  to  beUeve  that  the 
College  of  Physicians  of  Philadelphia  will  approve  of  the  formation 
of  a  National  Pharmacopoeia. 

I  would  also  beg  leave  to  suggest  to  you  the  propriety  of  brmging 
before  the  Congress  of  Physicians,  the  subject  of  Medical  Pohce. 
If  it  should  appear  to  that  learned  body  over  which  you  preside, 

School  of  Maryland.  He  wrote  various  essays  and  complied  "The 
Family  Adviser,  or  a  Plain  Modern  Practice  of  Physick  for  Families," 
a  book  of  some  200  pp. 

1  Dr.  Edward  Cutbush  (1772-1843)  was  a  Surgeon's  Mate  in  the 
Navy  and  served  on  the  U.  S.  Frigate  "United  States"  at  the  bombard- 
ment of  Tripoli  in  1804.  He  had  in  1818  attained  the  position  of  Senior 
Surgeon  in  the  Naw,  but  soon  resigned  because  he  was  ordered  to  a 
vefesel  unsuitable  to  his  rank. 

He  then  served  as  Professor  of  Chemistry  at  the  Geneva,  New  York, 
Medical  School.  He  wrote  "Observations  on  the  Means  of  Preserving 
the  Health  of  Sailors  and  Soldiers,"  after  the  style  of  a  more  celebrated 
book  of  the  same  kind  by  Dr.  Usher  Parsons.  Dr.  Cutbush  seems  to 
have  been  rather  irascible,  and  his  attitude  toward  the  Pharmacopoeia 
was  very  odd,  as  shall  later  on  be  seen. 


THE  PHARMACOP(EIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    345 

that  a  system  of  National  Police  would  be  desirable,  and  if  they 
will  pass  a  resolution  to  that  effect,  we  will  introduce  that  Resolu- 
tion into  the  Circular,  which  will  appear  in  a  few  weeks,  announcing 
the  approbation  by  a  majority  of  the  Medical  Schools  and  Societies 
of  the  formation  of  the  American  Pharmacopoeia. 

Will  you  also  have  the  goodness,  My  Dear  Sir,  to  convey  to  me 
at  as  early  an  hour  as  convenient,  yoiu-  own  opinion  of  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and  the  property  of  attempting  the 
estabhshment  of  a  General  Medical  Police.  Be  pleased  also  to 
accept  the  enclosures.     I  have  the  honor  to  be  Yours,  L.  Spalding." 

The  only  news  from  North  Carolina  concerning  the  Phar- 
macopoeia is  from  a  Dr.  Robinson  of  Camden  of  whom  I 
know  nothing  personally,  but  whose  note  I  insert  as  part  of 
Medical  History. 

"Camden,  24  Oct.  1818.  Dear  Sir:  I  received  your  circular  of 
the  4th  of  March  relative  to  the  formation  of  a  National  Pharma- 
copoeia. The  Object,  I  highly  approve  of,  but  from  the  scattered 
situation  of  medical  men  in  this  State,  I  fear  we  shall  be  of  very 
little  service,  although  the  State  perhaps  contains  as  many  medicinal 
plants  as  any  other.  For  my  own  part  I  shall  be  happy  to  render 
you  any  service  which  may  be  in  my  power,  individually,  to  pro- 
mote so  laudable  an  Object. 

Yom-  Obedient  and  very  Humble  Servant.    Samuel  Robinson." 

Dr.  Thacher's  encouraging  letter,  showed  progress  in 
Massachusetts,  and  his  suggestion  for  a  meeting  at  Hartford, 
was  followed. 

"Plymouth,  Oct.  25,  1818.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  been  duly  favored 
with  your  letter  and  pamphlet  "On  Fever."  I  cannot  but  feel  it 
an  honor,  that  a  subject  of  such  importance  after  having  under- 
gone your  investigations  should  be  referred  to  my  examination  and 
opinion.  It  will  be  my  pride  and  my  gratification  to  comply  with 
your  request  as  soon  as  leisure  wiU  permit.  From  a  cursory  perusal, 
I  can  only  say  at  present,  that  I  view  it  as  a  specimen  of  ingenuity 
and  brilhant  imagination. 

I  feel  much  interested  in  the  success  of  your  project  for  a  National 
Pharmacopoeia  and  will  esteem  it  as  a  favor  if  you  will  inform  me, 
what  returns  you  have  received  from  the  several  States  or  Districts. 

The  Chairman  of  our  Committee  has  communicated  with  your 
Committee,  but  we  have  done  nothing  more,  since.  It  is  my  indi- 
vidual opinion,  that  we  ought  to  send,  two,  if  not  three  delegates 
to  meet  in  convention,  perhaps  at  Hartford,  some  time  next  sum- 
mer. Will  you  be  good  enough  to  inform  me,  whether  this  will 
meet  the  wishes  and  expectations  of  your  Committee?  I  am  with 
great  respect  your  Ob'd't  Servant,  James  Thacher. 


346  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Amongst  the  Circulars  sent  to  Europe  one  was  directed  to 
Anthony  Todd  Thomson  who  wrote  the  following  valuable 
acknowledgement : 

91  Sloane  St.,  London,  24  November,  1818.  Sii":  I  received 
your  letter  with  the  documents  of  the  Medical  Society  of  the 
County  of  New  York,  respecting  the  formation  of  the  American 
National  Pharmacopoeia,  and  feel  happy  in  being  able  to  send  you 
the  second  Edition  of  "The  London  Dispensatory,"  wliich  has  just 
been  pubhshed. 

I  have  endeavored  to  improve  the  Work  so  as  to  keep  pace  with 
the  improvements  of  Chemistry  and  Pharmacy,  which  have  taken 
place  since  the  first  Edition  appeared,  and  the  addition  of  the 
Synonyms  will,  I  trust,  render  it  generally  more  useful. 

As  I  am  now  engaged  in  writing  "A  History  of  Materia  Medica," 
I  am  extremely  anxious  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  indigenous 
substances  which  have  been  employed  for  medicinal  purposes  in 
the  American  State,  and  I  will  feel  truly  obliged  with  any  assist- 
ance you  can  favor  me  with.  Is  it  possible  to  obtain  a  good  Hortus 
Siccus  of  American  Medicinal  Plants,  without  an  enormous  expense  ? 
If  such  a  collection  can  be  readily  procured  might  I  take  the  liberty 
of  troubling  you  with  such  a  commission?  I  could  pay  the  price 
for  it  to  the  correspondents  of  any  of  your  mercantile  Houses,  in 
Liverpool  or  London.  Anything  I  can  do  for  you,  in  return,  you 
may  freely  command. 

Wishing  j^our  undertaking  all  the  success  you  can  desire,  I  re- 
main Sir,  Your  Obedient  Servant,  Anthony  Todd  Thomson.^  " 

Another  Circular  from  Dr.  Spalding  reached  Dr.  Richard 
Reece  ^  of  London,  and  in  December,  1818,  arrived  a  flatter- 

1  Anthony  Todd  Thomson  (1778-1849)  was  born  in  Edinburgh,  al- 
though his  Father  was  Royal  Collector  at  Savannah,  Georgia,  but  who 
had  brought  his  family  home  during  the  Revolution.  The  boy  went 
at  an  early  age  to  Savannah,  and  returned  once  more  to  Edinburgh 
where  he  received  his  diploma.  He  won  a  wide  practice  in  London, 
founded  Medical  Societies,  established  the  Chelsea  Dispensary,  and 
edited  various  Medical  Journals.  Whilst  occupying  the  Chair  of 
Materia  Medica  at  University  College,  he  wrote  "A  Conspectus  for  a 
Pharmacopeia,"  and  "The  London  Dispensatory."  He  gradually 
abandoned  general  practice,  specialized  in  Dermatology  and  amused 
himself  with  Magic. 

^  Richard  Reece  (1775-1831)  was  a  surgeon  at  the  Hereford  Infirmary 
at  the  age  of  21,  and  after  practicing  there  a  while,  he  moved  to  Cardiff, 
and  from  there  to  London,  where  he  became  famous,  not  only  for  his 
"Journal"  and  for  his  advocacy  of  "Lobcila  and  Buchu  in  Medical 
Practice,"  l)ut  for  his  Consultations  in  the  Case  of  Joanna  Southcote, 
who  at  the  age  of  05  declared  herself  to  be  with  child  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
He  also  assisted,  later  on,  at  the  necropsy  of  Joanna,  which  proved 
beyond  doubt  the  falsity  of  her  Claims,  which  had  startled  the  world. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    347 

ing  communication  from  this  distinguished  man:  a  copy  of 
his  "Medical  Magazine,"  with  an  Editorial  in  which  he  spoke 
of  Dr.  Spalding's  project  of  a  National  Pharmacopoeia  as 
"A  Splendid  Instance  of  Medical  Foresight,"  and  urged 
British  physicians  to  petition  Parliament  for  a  similar  work 
for  Great  Britian. 

Dr.  David  Hale  was  an  early  graduate  at  Fairfield,  who  in 
course  of  time  received  some  Circulars.  From  the  two  long 
letters  in  which  he  acknowledges  the  compUment,  I  take  a 
few  items  of  value. 

"Viacennes,  Indiana,  January  16,  1819.  Dear  Doctor.  I  re- 
ceived your  Circular  and  have  to  reply  that  our  Society  feels  very 
friendly  toward  the  success  of  the  Work.  They  had  a  meeting  in 
November  and  I  at  once  enclosed  you  the  Proceedings  and  a  News- 
paper, but  from  your  letter  I  find  that  you  have  not  received  them. 
I  now  send  another  paper  by  a  friend  whom  I  commission  to  buy 
medicine  for  a  shop  in  which  I  am  now  concerned.  I  wish  also  to 
trouble  you  about  a  Soda  Water  Machine,  and  I  wish  you  to  assist 
in  the  purchase  of  the  machine  and  to  see  that  no  imposition  is 
practiced  in  any  part  of  the  Bill,  either  for  drugs  or  for  the  Machine. 
I  will  also  thank  you  for  a  description  of  the  use  of  the  machine, 
and  of  the  ingredients  for  making  Soda  Water.  I  am  under  a 
serious  impression  that  I  shall  make  money  here  if  I  have  health. 
Though  quite  poor  when  I  was  under  your  tuition,  I  now  consider 
my  property  worth  5  to  7  Thousand  and  growing  fast.  Your 
Obedient  Servant  &  Well  Wisher,  David  Hale." 

Dr.  Matthias  Spalding,  a  member  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Delegation,  was  much  interested  in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  as 
his  communication  shows. 

"Amherst,  New  Hampshire,  February  24,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  I 
have  received  several  letters  and  Circulars  on  the  subject  of  the 
National  Pharmacopoeia,  and  we  have  had  several  meetings  by 
way  of  the  Society  and  Committee  on  the  Subject,  but  we  have  not 
made  much  progress  in  the  Business,  though  we  are  disposed  so  to 
do.  I  felt  very  sorry  you  did  not  see  the  Hon.  D.  L.  Morrill  ^  when 
on  his  way  to  Washington. 

1  Dr.  David  Lawrence  Morrill  (1772-1849)  practiced  medicine  at 
Epsom,  New  Hampshire,  abandoned  medicine  for  Theology,  and  then 
gave  up  Theology  for  Politics.  He  was  twice  elected  to  Congress, 
served  a  term  in  the  United  States  Senate  and  was  four  times  Governor 
of  New  Hampshire.  He  wrote  a  great  deal  on  religious  and  political 
matters,  but  gave  the  project  for  the  founding  of  the  Pharmacopoeia 
no  assistance  whatsoever. 


348  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Hope  you  will  see  him  on  his  way  home,  and  that  he  and  you,  or 
your  Committee  will  make  suitable  arrangements  with  him  for 
carrjdng  on  the  business.  He,  of  course,  will  be  at  Washington 
next  winter.  He  is  one  of  our  State  Committee  on  the  Pharma- 
copoeia. He  is  a  man  of  Science  as  well  as  one  of  our  own  pro- 
fession: in  fact,  he  is  every  way  calculated  for  the  business  and  Will, 
I  trust,  do  all  he  can  to  forward  such  a  work. 

Be  pleased  to  accept  my  best  wishes  for  your  personal  and  pubUc 
welfare  in  undertaking  so  laudable  a  work.  I  am,  Dear  Sir,  with 
Much  Esteem,  your  friend  and  Servant,  Matthias  Spalding." 

A  very  friendly  and  encouraging  message  from  Dr.  Mitchill 
arrived  at  this  time  very  opportunely.  Dr.  Mitchill  was 
then  at  Albany  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  Regents. 

"Albany,  April  4,  1819.  Sunday.  Dear  Sir:  It  is  now  abnost 
night,  and  I  have  just  learned  that  the  Steam  Boat  has  arrived  from 
New  York.  It  is  understood  that  she  will  leave  this  place  on 
Tuesday.  The  roads  are  so  dreadfully  bad,  that  I  shall  not  travel 
home  by  land,  but  wait  for  the  departure  of  this  vessel. 

I  inform  you,  as  Trustee  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, notified  to  act,  that  I  received  the  Diplomas  for  the  gradu- 
ates, yesterday,  from  the  Chancellor  of  the  University,  with  his 
signature.  They  will  be  ready  for  delivery  at  the  moment  of  my 
arrival  on  Wednesday.  I  wish  the  Registrar,  or  some  body  might 
be  ready  to  receive  them  from  me,  the  instant  I  arrive. 

The  Secretary  of  the  State  Medical  Society,  has  certified  and 
subscribed  the  Commission  for  the  Delegates  to  the  Medical  Con- 
vention at  Philadelphia.^    I  shall  bring  it  with  me. 

I  have  procured  in  advance,  a  Copy  of  the  "Catalogue  of  Plants 
growing  in  the  Vicinity  of  New  York,"  by  the  Lyceum  of  Natural 
History,  and  chiefly  by  John  Torrey,  M.D.^  The  printing  is 
doing  by  Websters  and  Skinners.  I  find  it,  on  examination, 
an  admirable  piece  of  work,  highly  creditable  to  our  younger 
brethren  who  engaged  in  it.  If  the  Lyceum  had  done  nothing  but 
this,  it  would  have  established  a  noble  and  durable  monument  of 
its  usefulness. 

I  request  you  on  the  receipt  of  this  to  call  on  Mrs.  Mitchill  and 

1  "The  Medical  Convention  at  Philadelphia"  was  the  one  planned 
for  the  composition  ot  the  Pharmacopoeia  by  the  Middle  States,  in 
June. 

2  Dr.  John  Torrey,  (1796-1873)  only  twenty-three  at  this  time,  had 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Wright  Post,  but  turning  hia  attention  to 
Botany  he  became  famous  in  this  specialty,  and  was  later  on  in  turn 
Professor  of  Chemistry  at  West  Point  and  at  Columl^ia.  The  pamphlet 
horc  mentioned,  ib  now  exceedingly  rare  and  valued  at  a  high  price,  by 
biblioijhilea. 


THE  PHARMACOPOEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES     349 

inform  (her)  that  her  husband  and  Brother  ^  are  lodged  in  the  same 
chamber  at  Moody's  Hotel,  are  in  good  health,  and  anxious  to 
embark  for  wives  and  homes.  Make  my  compliments  to  Mrs. 
Spalding,  and  be  assured  of  my  esteem  and  regard.    Sam'l  L. 

MiTCHILL." 

About  this  time  too,  Sir  Robert  Perceval  wrote  to  Dr. 
Spalding  an  exceedingly  valuable  and  explicit  letter  of  sug- 
gestions concerning  the  Pharmacopoeia.  In  point  of  fact  it 
is  the  best  one  of  this  collection  of  letters  bearing  upon  the 
national  work  in  which  Dr.  Spalding  was  so  deeply  inter- 
ested. Furthermore  it  is  beautifully  written,  and  easy  to 
decipher. 

"Kildare  Place,  Dubhn,  May  4,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  America  has 
long  had  a  claim  on  my  gratitude.  Many  years  ago,  Mr.  Vaughan  ^ 
obtained  for  me  the  honour  of  being  elected  a  Member  of  the 
Philosophical  Society  of  Plnladelphia,  and  I  have  anxiously  watched 
an  opportunity  of  returning  my  acknowledgements.  The  object 
which  you  propose  in  your  letter,  which  I  am  almost  ashamed  to 
say  is  dated  so  far  back  as  March,  1818,  is  such  as  I  could  heartily 
wish  were  adopted  in  the  several  countries  which  compose  the 
United  Kingdom.  Dissonance  in  Nomenclature  and  in  the  prepar- 
ration  of  the  more  active  medicines  wliich  are  employed  in  our 
practice  is  attended  with  Laextricable  confusion.  I  should  hope, 
that  some  uniformity  might  at  length  prevail  amongst  practitioners 
who  speak  the  same  language  and  acknowledge  the  same  original 
stock.    My  delay  in  acknowledging  your  favor  subjoined  to  the 

1  Mrs.  Mitchill's  Brother  was  Dr.  Samuel  Akerly  (1785-1845),  she 
being  by  birth  an  Akerly,  then  marrying  a  Mr.  Cock,  and  after  a  widow- 
hood of  some  years  she  married  Dr.  Mitchill.  Dr.  Akerly  was  an 
Army  Surgeon  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  after  practising  in  New  York, 
interested  himseK  in  the  care  of  the  insane  and  the  education  of  the 
Deaf  Mutes.  Amongst  his  numerous  papers,  one  on  "Deafness"  stiU 
reads  well. 

^  Dr.  Benjamin  Vaughan  (1751-1835)  was  born  in  Jamaica,  and 
took  the  degree  of  M.D.  at  Edinburgh,  to  please  his  prospective  Father- 
in-Law,  who  insisted  on  a  "Man  with  a  Profession,"  for  his  Son-in-Law. 
Dr.  Vaughan,  instead  of  practising,  went  into  poUtios,  took  an  active 
part  with  Franklin  in  his  negotiations  with  the  French  during  our 
American  Revolution,  and  although  a  Member  of  Parliament,  he  en- 
gaged, apparently,  in  High  Treason  by  introducing  French  Revolution- 
ists into  Great  Britian.  Obliged  to  flee  to  Switzerland,  he  came  to 
America  and  finally  settled  in  HaUoweU,  Maine,  where  he  posed  as  a 
philosopher,  wrote  on  politics  and  medicine,  and  practiced  a  little. 
Some  of  his  books  well  annotated  may  still  be  found  in  the  Library  of 
the  Maine  Insane  Asylum  at  Augusta.  In  his  old  age  he  gave  much 
study  to  the  "Letters  of  Junius,"  and  their  authorship. 


350  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

Circular,  arose  partly  from  the  state  of  my  health,  but  principally 
from  a  desire  of  rendering  my  answer  more  satisfactory. 

The  Dublin  College  of  Physicians  have  pubUshed  but  one  Edition 
of  their  Pharmacopceia,  but  have  appointed  a  Committee,  of  whom 
I  am  one,  to  revise  it,  and  publish  a  second  edition,  I  was  in  hopes 
I  should  have  been  able  to  have  reported  progress,  but  have  been 
disappointed  in  this  hope  by  the  prevalence  of  the  Epidemic  fever, 
which  has  for  upward  of  a  year  afflicted  our  Capital. 

Dr.  Barker,!  who  is  my  successor  in  the  Chemical  Professorship, 
which  I  resigned  several  years  ago,  finding  it  incompatible  with 
my  medical  engagements,  has  lately  been  absent  from  Dublin  on  a 
mission  from  the  Government  to  inspect  the  State  of  Health  in  the 
province  of  Munster,  and  I  fear,  such  duties  as  these  will,  for  some 
time  interfere  with  the  prosecution  of  our  Pharmaceutical  labours. 
The  Disorder,  although  by  no  means  fatal,  has  spread  alarmingly 
through  the  lower  ranks. 

Have  you  seen  the  Pharmacopoeia  published  last  year  in  Paris; 
the  result  of  many  years  of  study  of  a  number  of  celebrated  men  in 
that  City  who  were  commissioned  and  liberally  paid  by  the  Govern- 
ment? The  work  is  voluminous,  contains  about  600  pp.,  and  seems 
better  adapted  for  the  library  than  the  shop.  It  includes  many 
details  of  Natural  History,  Pharmacy  and  Chemistry.  In  its 
formulae  we  meet  many  of  the  old  compound  medicines  which 
modern  practice  in  these  countries  has  long  since  exploded.  The 
proportion  of  ingredients  is  determined  decimally,  which  appears 
an  improvement,  as  much  confusion  arises  from  the  varied  weights 
and  measures  in  different  countries.  The  chemical  part  is  copious, 
and  contains  practical  directions  so  minute  as  only  to  be  adopted 
to  novices  of  the  art.  The  ointments  and  plasters  appear  to  be 
compounded  with  great  care  and  to  contain  many  active  ingredients. 
With  us,  perhaps,  simplicity  has  been  carried  too  far." 

Sir  Robert  here  goes  on  at  great  length  with  a  list  of 
plants,  suitable  for  the  American  Pharmacopoeia,  which  I 
omit  for  lack  of  space.     He  then  resumes : 

"  I  have  now  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  Second  Circular, 
and  am  happy  to  find  that  your  scheme  is  in  advance.  From  the 
abatement  of  the  Fever,  and  the  approach  of  Summer  which  will 
give  us  all  more  leisure,  I  hope  to  be  able  to  report  some  progress 
on  our  work. 

I  have  looked  over  a  book  printed  in  Paris  in  1818,  the  title  of 
which  is  "Formulaire  Magistral":  it  contains  a  great  variety  of 

^  Dr.  Francis  Barker  (1793-1859),  Sir  Robert's  successor  in  the 
Chemical  Chair  in  Dublin,  was  very  intimate  with  Sir  Walter  Scott, 
whilst  a  student  at  Edinburgh,  and  from  that  acquaintance  obtained 
promotion  in  medicine. 


THE  PHARMACOP(EIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    351 

formulae  or  prescriptions  of  various  eminent  physicians  in  Europe. 
If  you  mean  to  render  copious,  the  article  of  Formulae,  this  book 
might  supply  some  suggestions.  Our  plan,  is  to  confine  ourselves 
either  to  simple  preparations  or  to  such  compound  medicines  as 
have  been  sanctioned  by  long  use,  introducing  such  corrections  in 
their  preparation  as  to  tend  to  simplify,  without  impairing  their 
virtue.  This  might  appear  the  best  plan  for  a  Pharmacopoeia  which 
is  to  be  the  rule  of  general  Practice  and  which  is  to  fiu-nish  the 
shop  of  the  Apothecary,  whose  shelves  and  drawers  if  they  contain 
all  the  articles  brought  forward  in  the  French  Codex  must  be  over- 
burthened  with  an  enormous  multiphcitj^  of  medicines,  the  greater 
part  of  which  will  be  spoiled  before  called  for.  For  these,  of  course, 
the  pubhc  must  pay,  and  if  a  French  Apothecary  be  remunerated 
according  to  the  trouble  and  expense  which  the  "Codex"  imposes 
upon  him,  his  claim  to  an  enormous  charge  will  be  founded  in 
justice. 

You  win  find  in  the  Preface  to  the  "Formulaire  IMagistral,"  as 
good  a  plea  as  can  weU  be  made  for  compounding  mediciae  of  a 
multiplicity  of  ingredients,  or  what  the  authors  call  "Polj^har- 
macie."  I  cannot  reject  the  whole  of  the  reasoning,  but  am  clearly 
of  opinion  that  the  exercise  of  "Polypharmacie"  should  be  left  to 
extemporaneous  prescription. 

Chincough^  has  as  usual,  been  prevalent  this  Spring.  I  have 
seen  and  heard  of  some  cases  confirming  the  recommendation  of 
Dr.  Marc  ^  of  the  use  of  belladonna.  The  effect,  however,  is  so 
violent,  on  the  Nervous  system  that  I  have  been  discouraged  from 
pushing  the  experunent.  I  hope  to  be  able  before  long  to  give  you 
an  account  of  om*  pharmaceutical  labours.  Should  any  oppor- 
tunity occur  of  transmitting  a  specimen  of  your  work  to  this  country, 
our  Committee  wiU  feel  much  obhged  to  j^ou  for  the  communica- 
tion. I  have  the  honour  to  be.  Sir,  Your  Ob'd't  and  Faithful  Serv't, 
Rob.  Perceval.    Physician  General  for  Ireland." 

Sir  Robert  Perceval's  valuable  suggestions  were  followed 
by  bad  news  from  the  South. 

"Writing  from  Savannah,  May  20,  1819.  Dr.  Kollock  begins  by 
introducing  a  physician  whose  name  I  cannot  decipher,  and  adds: 
"From  my  invahd  condition  dm-iag  the  past  year,  I  beheved  it 
proper  to  resign  my  standing  as  President  in  our  Medical  Society, 

1  Chin  Cough  (or  Kink-Cough)  a  sort  of  Whooping  Cough. 

^  Dr.  Charles  Chretien  Henri  Marc  (1771-1841)  was  a  distinguished 
Physician  of  Paris,  who  in  his  early  medical  fife  wrote  on  the  effects 
of  poisons,  used  as  remedies  in  disease,  urged  more  frequent  study  of 
the  dead,  and  suggested  many  remedies  as  specifics  for  stated  diseases. 
In  his  later  life  he  wrote  a  great  deal  on  "Insanity"  from  a  medico-legal 
point  of  view. 


352  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

to  one  who  could  do  more  justice  to  the  station.  Since  which  I 
have  had  no  share  in  the  transactions  of  the  Society. 

Sometime  since,  your  letter  to  me  was  received  by  the  new 
President  who  mentioned  to  me  the  object,  and  that  he  should  lay 
it  before  the  board  at  their  next  meetmg.  Whether  this  has  been 
done,  I  am  not  informed.  But  our  medical  gentlemen  seem  re- 
luctant to  encounter  the  subject  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  with  the 
prospect  of  contributing  so  little  of  importance  to  the  stock  of 
matters  necessary  for  such  a  work,  without  a  devotion  of  more  time 
and  labovu-  than  they  feel  able  to  spare  from  their  other  duties. 

We  have  two  Representatives  in  Congi'ess,  members  of  our 
Societj^  (Drs.  Abbott^  and  Terrell 2),  who  perhaps  may  be  selected 
as  our  representatives,  also.  If  they  accept  the  appointment  they 
will  carry  into  the  work  much  information.  I  hope  this  plan  will 
be  pursued.  With  the  best  wishes  for  the  success  of  the  under- 
taking, I  am  Very  Respectfully,  L.  Kollock." 

Nor  was  a  second  letter  from  Dr.  Potter  any  more  en- 
couraging. 

"Baltimore,  May  31,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  It  is  to  me  a  subject  of 
regret  that  I  carmot,  consistent  with  propriety  attend  the  Phila- 
delphia Convention  of  which  we  are  members;  not  that  I  would 
presimae  to  offer  anything  that  will  not  be  better  done  by  my 
colleagues. 

We  have  determined  that  the  Faculty  of  Maryland  will  be  ably 
and  faithfully  represented  by  two  delegates,  either  of  whom  can 
leave  home  with  more  convenience,  than  I  could.  While  I  am 
constrained  to  forego  the  pleasure  I  anticipated  of  meeting  you  and 
some  other  old  friends,  as  well  as  of  cultivating  the  acquaintance 
of  others  whose  reputation  demands  the  tribute  of  respect,  yet  my 
duty  to  a  sick  infant  daughter  admonishes  me  to  renounce  the 
project  on  which  I  had  so  long  set  my  heart.  I  trust  your  joint 
labors  will  result  to  the  benefit  of  medical  science,  and  that  the 
American  Pharmacopoeia  will  be  exhibited  as  an  emblem  of  the 
literary  sovereignty  of  the  U.  States.  I  propose,  ere  long,  to  ad- 
dress you  or  some  other  member  of  the  Convention  on  certain 
topics  coimected  with  the  objects  of  your  present  mission.    This 

'  Joel  Abbott,  M.D.  was  born  in  Connecticut,  but  was  taken  in  in- 
fancy to  Georgia,  where  he  became  an  excellent  physician  and  high- 
minded  politician.  He  practiced  "Somewhere  in  Georgia,"  represented 
the  Wilkes  County  District  in  Congress,  and  was  a  firm  believer  in  the 
justice  of  slavery. 

2  William  Terrell  was  in  early  life  a  physician,  but  became  a  poli- 
tician and  a  man  highly  esteemed.  He  was  greatly  devoted  to  agri- 
culture, and  at  his  death  in  1855,  left  to  the  University  of  Georgia  a 
fund  for  the  support  of  a  Chair  for  the  Promotion  of  Agriculture. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    353 

will  be  the  more  necessary,  as  the  contemplated  Convention  at 
Washington  is  fixed  at  a  season  when  my  duties  to  the  University 
would  not  permit  me  to  attend.  My  contributions  will,  however, 
depend  entirely  upon  the  plan  adopted,  as  they  will  respect  prin- 
cipally, the  operation  of  certain  articles  of  the  Materia  Medica. 

My  Colleague  Dr.  De  Butts  will  present  you  tliis,  and  I  take 
leave  to  make  you  particularly  acquainted  with  him.  You  mil 
find  him  a  man  of  real  genius  and  worth,  united  to  great  diffidence 
and  unassuming  manners.  Dear  Sir,  Yours  Very  Truly,  Nath'l 
Potter." 

As  it  then  took  ten  hours  by  stage  from  Baltimore  to 
Washington  and  even  more  to  Philadelphia,  the  objections 
on  the  part  of  Dr.  Potter  in  making  either  journey  mil  be 
readily  understood. 

Of  the  four  District  Conventions  arranged  for  the  year 
1819,  only  two  met,  one  for  the  Northern  States  at  Boston, 
one  for  the  Middle  States  at  Philadelphia,  and  both  of  them 
in  June.  The  members  composing  the  Boston  Convention 
were  Drs.  Mussey,  Matthias  Spalding,  E.  Torrey,i  S.  Grid- 
ley,2  James  Thacher,  Ebenezer  Lerned,  J.  P.  Batchelder,  S. 
Drowne,^  EH  Ives,  J.  Bigelow  and  Dr.  Shattuck. 

^  Erastus  Torrey  was  graduated  at  the  Dartmouth  Medical  School 
in  1805,  practiced  for  a  few  years  at  Cornish,  New  Hampshire  and  was 
a  Member  of  the  State  Medical  Society.  Later  on  he  moved  to  Windsor, 
Vermont,  and  represented  that  State  in  the  Convention.  He  was,  on 
the  foundation  of  the  Castleton  Medical  School,  appomted  a  Lecturer 
on  the  Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine. 

2  Seiah  Gridley  (1767-1826)  practiced  in  a  small  village  in  Vermont, 
the  name  of  which  has  escaped  my  researches,  but  there  he  became  so 
successful  as  a  teacher  of  medicine  that  he  was  obliged  to  estabhsh  a 
Medical  School  at  Castleton  as  an  outlet  for  his  many  applicants  for 
instruction.  Here  for  some  time  he  acted  as  Professor  of  Theory  and 
Practice,  and  also  of  Materia  Medica.  In  the  midst  of  his  successes  he 
had  the  misfortune  to  lose  a  very  dear  friend  whom  he  invited  to  wit- 
ness the  removal  of  an  addition  to  his  house,  and  who  very  unluckilv 
fell  beneath  the  rollers  and  was  killed.  This  fatal  accident  so  depressed 
Dr.  Gridley  that  though  daily  \'isiting  his  new  residence,  he  finally  lost 
all  interest  in  it,  never  dwelt  beneath  its  roof,  fell  into  a  Decline  and 
Melancholy,  and  removed  to  Exeter,  New  Hampshire,  where  he  died. 

5  Solomon  Drowne  (1753-1834)  served  as  a  Surgeon  both  in  the  Army 
and  Navy  during  the  Revolution.  His  "Journal  of  a  Cruise  in  the  Fall  of 
1780  in  the  Private  Sloop,  'Hope,'"  is  a  rare  and  valuable  pamphlet. 

He  studied  in  Europe,  had  many  honorary  degrees  and  practiced  in 
Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  and  finally  in  Foster,  Rhode  Island,  represent- 
ing that  State  in  the  Convention.  Having  been  Lecturer  on  Botany 
at  Brown,  his  qualifications  for  the  position  were  undisputed.     Dr. 


354  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

This  Convention  met  in  Boston  on  the  First  day  of  June, 
took  up  the  discussion  of  all  the  important  medicines  men- 
tioned in  the  large  number  of  foreign  and  domestic  Phar- 
macopoeias of  the  day,  London,  Edinburgh  and  DubUn. 
Each  topic  was  gone  over  alphabetically,  each  member  had 
his  suggestions  to  offer.  The  rough  draft  which  was  com- 
pleted at  the  end  of  the  week  was  given  to  Dr.  EU  Ives  of 
New  Haven  and  to  Dr.  Jacob  Bigelow  of  Boston  to  revise 
and  to  hand  it  personally  to  the  members  of  the  National 
Convention  to  be  held  in  Washington  in  the  following 
January  for  comparison  with  the  material  to  be  furnished  by 
the  other  district  conventions. 

The  Convention  for  the  Middle  States  met  on  the  same 
day  at  Philadelphia  and  the  following  physicians  took 
part.  Drs.  Mitchill,  Watts,  Stevens,  Parke,^  Griffiths,^ 
Hewson,    Stewart,^    Parrish,    Atlee,^    MacNeven,    Frances, 

Dro-niie  wrote  papers  on  Botany,  and  was  greatly  interested  in  Philan- 
thropy, one  of  the  closmg  acts  of  his  hfe  being  to  pubhsh  "An  Address 
on  the  Independence  of  Greece." 

1  Thomas  Parke  (1749-1835)  practiced  many  years  in  Philadelphia. 
Although  he  had  written  but  little  on  medical  topics,  his  long  deaUngs 
with  drugs  made  his  presence  valuable. 

2  Samuel  Powell  Griffiths  (1759-1826),  whilst  still  a  student  of 
medicine,  had  helped  to  aid  the  wounded  at  the  Battle  of  Germantown, 
and  later  on  obtained  his  degree  of  medicine  from  the  University  of 
Montpellier  in  France.  He  practiced  more  than  forty  years  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  from  his  acquaintance  with  their  language  was  of  great 
service  to  the  French  refugees  from  the  Island  of  Saint  Domingo  after 
their  exile  by  the  revolutionary  negroes.  Dr.  Griffiths  was  Professor  of 
Materia  Medica  at  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital  Medical  School,  and 
wrote  a  paper  on  "Pharmacopoeias"  which  he  read  by  request  before 
the  members  of  this  Convention. 

'  Of  Dr.  Samuel  Stewart,  I  only  know  that  he  was  famous  in  Phila-- 
delphia  as  an  obstetrician,  and  the  possessor  of  such  long  and  pre- 
hensile hands  that  he  scorned  the  use  of  forceps. 

*  Edwin  Augustus  Atlee  (1776-1854)  first  studied  law  and  served 
as  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  Whiskey  Rebellion  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1794,  which  was  a  rebellion  against  the  prohibition  of  the  distilling  of 
Uquors  by  the  people.  He  gave  up  law,  studied  medicine  and  obtained 
his  degree  with  a  thesis  "On  the  Influence  of  Music  in  the  Treatment 
of  Diseases."  Dr.  Atlee  took  immense  pains  to  translate  from  the 
Latin,  Lieutaud's  *  "Synopsis  of  Medical  Practice,"  retired  at  an  early 
age  from  medicine,  and  devoted  the  rest  of  his  life  to  the  Anti-Slavery 
Movement. 

*  Joseph  Lieutaud  (1703-1780)  was  an  Instructor  in  Botany,  Physiology  and 
Anatomy  in  Paris.  His  " Anatomical  Essays "  were  original,  and  his  "Pathological 
Anatomy  "  based  on  thousands  of  observations  was  considered  phenomenal. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    355 

Smith,^  Vancleve,  Baker,  McLane,^  Huntt,^  De  Butts  and 
Henderson.^  Dr.  Spalding  attended  as  the  representative 
of  the  Fairfield  Medical  School,  and  of  the  New  York 
County  Medical  Society. 

The  Convention  thus  composed  met  in  Philosophical  Hall 
on  the  same  day  as  that  of  the  Convention  in  Boston,  and 
remained  in  session  for  five  successive  days  and  evenings. 
In  the  same  way  as  at  Boston  the  rough  draft  of  a  pharma- 
copoeia was  composed,  and  in  this  instance  given  over  to 
the  care  of  Dr.  Spalding,  with  instructions  to  enlarge  the 
information  needed  concerning  plants  and  indigenous  reme- 
dies by  correspondence  throughout  the  Nation,  and  to  present 
it  to  the  National  Convention  to  be  held  in  Washington. 
Dr.  Spalding  was  also  authorized  to  notify  the  District  Dele- 
gates to  appear  at  the  National  Convention.  His  suggestion 
for  a  Medical  Pohce  of  which  mention  was  made  in  a  former 
letter  to  Dr.  Hewson  was  postponed  to  a  later  date. 

Immediately  after  the  adjournment  of  this  Convention 
Dr.  Spalding  returned  to  New  York,  and  occupied  himself 
during  the  rest  of  the  year,  1819,  with  his  practice  and  his 
work  on  the  Pharmacopoeia.  Amongst  the  letters  received 
at  this  time,  I  find  this  one  from  Dr.  De  La  Motta,  who  had 
evidently  visited  Dr.  Spalding  at  his  house. 

"Savannah,  June  8,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  According  to  promise  I 
take  the  pen  as  early  after  my  arrival  as  I  obtained  information,  to 

1  Charles  Smith  (1767-1848)  was  born  and  educated  at  Princeton, 
New  Jersey,  and  practiced  many  years  in  New  Brunswick  in  that  State. 
As  one  of  the  leading  practitioners  in  his  State  he  had  been  chosen  as 
its  representative  in  the  convention. 

^  Allan  McLane,  Jr.  (1786-1845),  was  an  Army  Surgeon  in  the  War 
of  1812,  wrote  voluminously  on  medicine  and  was  of  great  service  to 
the  Pharmacopoeia. 

^  Henry  Huntt  was  born,  educated,  and  obtained  his  degree  in 
Maryland,  served  as  Hospital  Surgeon  in  the  Army,  and  was  the  first 
Health  Officer  of  Washington,  D.C.  He  was  a  founder  of  the  American 
Medical  Association  and  amongst  many  valuable  papers  wrote  on 
"Observations  of  Change  of  Climate  in  Pulmonary  Consumption." 

*  Thomas  Henderson  (1789-1854)  came  from  an  obscure  village  in 
Virginia  and  practiced  in  Washington,  D.C.  He  was  an  original  incor- 
porator of  the  District  of  Columbia  Medical  Society,  served  as  an 
Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  Army,  was  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice 
in  the  Columbian  University  and  retired  from  the  profession  at  an 
early  age,  and  died  in  Lexington,  Kentucky.  Devoted  to  medical 
investigation,  his  chief  literary  work  was  "An  Epitome  of  the  Physiol- 
ogy, General  Anatomy  and  Pathology  of  Bichat." 


356  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

addi'ess  you  on  the  subject  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Georgia  Medical 
Society  on  a  co-operation  to  form  the  National  Pharmacopoeia. 
The  letter  which  I  wrote  in  your  office  and  addressed  to  my  Co- 
Partner  was  laid  before  the  Society,  and  I  am  happy  to  state  that 
diu-ing  mj^  absence  a  committee  was  appointed  to  meet  the  Charles- 
ton Delegation  at  Columbia.  The  Members  composing  this  Com- 
mittee are  two  Members  of  Congress,  Dr.  Abbott  and  Terrell,  the 
other  a  member  resident  in  this  City. 

Not  bemg  present  at  the  Nomination,  I,  of  course,  could  not  ex- 
pect to  have  been  placed  on  that  Committee.  I,  however,  will  not 
recant  from  my  promise,  but  will  give  you  all  the  aid  in  my  power. 
I  shall,  therefore,  collect  what  I  am  able  on  that  Subject,  and 
transmit  it  to  you  previous  to  the  Meeting  of  the  General  Con- 
vention, and  should  what  I  collect  be  deemed  worthy  of  note,  I  shall 
be  pleased  to  observe  such  notice  as  they  may  be  entitled  to. 

Our  City  as  respects  endemical  fever  is  as  yet  exempt.  The 
Whooping  Cough  is  very  prevalent  amongst  children,  the  weather 
pleasant  for  the  season. 

You  will  confer  a  particular  favor  on  me  by  briefly  noting  on  a 
piece  of  paper  and  transmitting  to  me  in  a  letter,  such  improve- 
ments in  medicine  and  surgery  as  you  are  acquainted  with  that 
have  lately  taken  place  in  the  United  States.  I  have  to  deliver  the 
Anniversary  Oration  before  the  Medical  Society  in  the  early  part  of 
January  next,  and  I  purpose  giving  an  outline  of  such  improvements 
as  are  worthy  of  observation.  I  shall  not  omit  making  honorable 
mention  of  what  you  send. 

I  am  Very  Respectfully,  Yours  etc.,  Jacob  De  La  Motta." 

The  Southern  Convention,  or  more  precisely,  the  South 
Carolina-Georgia  Convention  had  a  meeting  during  the  Au- 
tumn, but  accomplished  next  to  nothing  owing  to  lack  of  a 
Quorum.  The  two  physicians  mentioned  were  directed  infor- 
mally to  attend  the  Convention  to  be  held  at  Washington. 

Early  in  December,  Dr.  Spalding  wishing  to  lose  as  little 
time  as  possible  in  attending  the  National  Convention  in- 
quired of  Dr.  Morrill,  Member  of  Congress  from  New  Hamp- 
shire the  best  way  to  reach  Washington,  and  his  reply  gives 
us  an  idea  of  the  slowness  of  transit  in  that  era. 

Washington  City,  Dec.  15,  1819.  Dear  Sir:  I  have  this  moment 
received  your  letter  of  the  11th  Instant,  requiring  information  rela- 
tive to  the  shortest  possible  time  necessary  to  travel  from  N.  Y.  to 
this  Citj--,  otherwise  than  in  the  Mail  Stage.  You  may  leave  N.  Y., 
at  11  a.m.  in  "The  Olive  Branch"  and  sleep  at  Trenton  that  night, 
and  arrive  at  Philadelphia  next  day  at  10.  You  may  leave  Phila- 
delphia at  12  and  arrive  at  Baltimore  by  2  or  3  next  morning. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    357 

You  may  leave  Baltimore  in  the  Mail  Stage  at  6  a.m.  and  get  into 
this  City  by  12  or  sooner,  or  on  the  7  o'clock  or  9  o'clock  stage  and 
arrive  here  in  the  afternoon.  You  may,  therefore,  arrive  in  this 
City  in  49  or  50  hours  from  the  time  you  leave  N.  Y.  Respectfully, 
Y'r  Ob'd't  Serv't,  David  L.  Morrill. 

On  the  margin  of  this  letter  Dr.  Spalding  pencilled  ''T. 
28";  suggesting  Tuesday  the  28th  of  December  as  the  day 
on  which  he  should  set  out  for  Washington,  and  this  seems 
verified  by  a  Bill  for  board  at  the  "  Congress  Hotel"  in  Wash- 
ington, D.C.,  George  Beal,  Proprietor,  which  shows  that  Dr. 
Spalding  reached  there  Thursday  the  30th,  and  remained 
until  Saturday  night,  January  8th,  at  a  cost  of  $23.38/100. 

The  Convention  opened  on  Saturday  morning,  January  1, 
1820,  in  the  Senate  Chamber  in  the  north  wing  of  the  Capi- 
tol, these  physicians  being  present:  Ives,  Hewson,  Huntt, 
McLane,  Spalding  and  Stevens.  The  two  rough  drafts  for 
the  National  Pharmacopoeia  received  from  the  two  District 
Conventions  were  handed  in,  examined  and  discussed.  The 
Convention  adjourned  late  at  night  until  Monday,  January 
3rd,  when  Drs.  Mitchill,  Baker,  Parks,  Terrell  and  Abbott 
appeared  and  remained  during  the  rest  of  the  Convention. 
By  these  eleven  physicians,  therefore,  the  United  States 
Pharmacopoeia  was  decided  upon. 

The  rest  of  the  week  was  spent  in  comparing  notes,  and 
revising  the  abundant  material  furnished  by  the  delegates. 
Before  adjourning  on  Saturday  afternoon,  they  chose  a  Com- 
mittee of  Publication,  in  the  order  named:  Spalding,  Ives, 
Hewson,  De  Butts  and  Bigelow;  Dr.  Spalding  being  named 
as  Chairman, 

The  months  ran  rapidly  onward  and  a  few  days  before 
this  Committee  met  in  New  York,  Dr.  Spalding  received 
the  following  very  friendly  letter  from  Dr.  Mitchill. 

"West  Point,  June  3,  1820.  Dear  Sir:  My  occupation  here  as 
one  of  the  Visitors  on  the  appointment  of  the  War  Department  to 
the  U.  S.  Military  Academy,  will,  I  foresee,  be  necessarily  pro- 
longed beyond  the  time  prescribed  for  the  meeting  of  the  Publish- 
ing Committee  appointed  by  their  Convention  for  compiling  a 
Pharmacopoeia  for  the  "Fredonian"  People.^ 

^  "Fredonian  People"  was  a  name  suggested  by  Dr.  MitcliiU  for  all 
Americans,  and  was  borrowed  from  the  word  "Freedom."  It  failed, 
however,  to  make  a  success,  either  as  Fredonia,  for  the  Nation,  or 
Fredonian  for  the  people. 


358  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

It  would  have  been  highly  gratifying  to  me,  to  have  been  able 
to  see  the  gentlemen  and  to  have  contributed  whatever  I  could,  for 
rendering  their  visit  in  N.  Y.  agreeable.  I  should  also  have  felt 
very  happy  in  their  society  and  intercourse.  I  beg  you  to  make  to 
them  this  explanation  of  the  reason  wherefore  I  am  not  with  you, 
and  of  my  regret  that  business  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  of  the 
Academy  so  unluckily  interfere  with  each  other.  The  matter, 
nevertheless,  is  of  no  moment  as  an  affak  of  business,  inasmuch  as 
I  am  not  a  member  of  the  Committee.  I  am  confident,  besides, 
that  the  great  work  will  go  steadily  on,  as  it  is  in  good  hands. 

My  time  has  been  fully  occupied  since  my  arrival,  in  visiting  the 
National  School,  and  in  viewing  the  interesting  objects  around. 
The  change  is  great,  I  assure  you,  from  the  smoky,  polluted  air 
of  the  City  to  the  pure  atmosphere  of  the  moimtains  and  from 
paved  streets  and  rows  of  houses,  to  natural  ground  and  verdant 
slopes. 

My  function  as  a  military  man,  here,  might  be  considered  as  very 
different  from  that  of  a  medical  man  in  our  College,  was  there 
not,  as  the  wags  remark,  something  "killing"  in  both  professions. 

I  wish  you  would  show  our  distinguished  visitors  the  newly 
furnished  case  of  minerals,  the  first  that  meets  the  eye  in  entering 
the  Museum,  where  the  minerals  of  Elba,  ghtter  in  the  presence  of 
the  minerals  from  New  Spain,  received  just  before  I  left  home, 
from  the  School  of  Mines  in  Mexico. 

I  have  this  moment  closed  a  letter  to  Mr.  Calhoun,  on  some 
memorable  phenomena  and  occurrences  in  this  place. 

Present  my  comphments  to  Mrs.  Spalding,  and  the  young  ladies,^ 
and  say  to  them,  that  if  the  fates  permitted,  I  could  wish  you  and 
they  and  Mrs.  Mitciiill  and  Amantha^  were  all  here  with  me.  Truly, 
Dear  Sir,  Ever  Yours,  Sam'l  Mitchill." 

On  a  bit  of  paper,  Dr.  Mitchill  adds: 

"Since  I  wrote  the  note  which  I  am  about  to  enclose,  I  have  re- 
ceived a  visit  from  the  officers  and  the  Chaplain;  and  Mr.  Gimbrede,^ 
the  ingenious  Drawing  Master  has  flattered  me  with  the  best  pic- 
ture or  likeness  of  me,  that  probably  ever  was  made.  I  am  called 
to  dinner,  and  after  snatching  a  hasty  morsel,  purpose  to  visit  some 
of  the  neighboring  tracts  near  to  the  ponds  and  lakes  that  feed  the 
streams.    S.  L.  M. 

^  "The  Young  Ladies"  were  Dr.  Spalding's  daughters,  now  17  and 
15  years  of  age. 

2  Amantha  was  Dr.  Mitchill's  Daughter. 

'  Mr.  Gimbrede  was  born  in  France  in  1781,  and  came  to  America 
very  young.  He  was  an  engraver  by  trade,  and  carried  on  a  shop  in 
the  Bowery.  He  had  this  very  year  obtained  an  appointment  at  West 
Point,  and  held  it  until  his  death  in  1832. 


THE  PHARMACOPGEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES     359 

Not  long  after  this  Meeting  of  the  Publication  Committee, 
Dr.  Spalding  had  occasion  to  send  proof  sheets  to  Dr.  Hewson 
in  Philadelphia,  but  being  very  busy  he  gave  the  commission 
to  his  son,  My  Father,  then  ten  years  old.  The  result  of 
this  long  journey  was  communicated  by  Dr.  Spalding  to  his 
wife,  then  in  Portsmouth,  as  the  following  copy  of  a  letter 
shows,  and  enclosed,  was  my  Father's  boyish  account  of  his 
adventures  to  which  he  was  very  fond  of  alluding,  in  his  80th 
year  and  beyond,  as  his  "share  in  the  Pharmacopoeia." 

"New  York,  August  20,  1820.  My  Dear  Wife:  Lyman  returned 
from  Philadelphia  after  nine  days  absence.  He  met  with  no 
troubles  nor  difficulties.  He  calculated  to  admiration.  He  spent 
his  last  cent  at  New  Brunswick  in  payment  for  his  supper  and 
lodging.  He  was  delighted  with  Philadelphia  and  intends  to  give 
you  an  account  of  his  travels. 

If  Dr.  Thurston  will  inform  you  what  years  of  Bills  of  Mortality 
he  is  deficient  in,  I  will  send  them  to  him,  although  I  have  not 
many,  only  14  complete  sets  left.  I  have  no  copies  of  those  pub- 
lished by  Dr.  Thurston,  except  eight,  for  the  year  1818.  I  should 
be  glad  if  the  Doctor  could  spare  me  six,  for  that  year,  and  14  for 
for  each  other  year  that  he  has  published. 

The  rest  of  this  copy  is  indecipherable,  but  seems  to  refer 
to  money  matters  and  the  Coues  Estate. 
Here  is  my  Father's  Note. 

N.  Y.,  Aug.  20,  1820.  Dear  Mother:  I  started  from  New  York 
for  Philadelphia  on  Tuesday  the  8th  inst.  from  the  Battery  and  went 
to  Perth  Amboy  and  New  Brunswick  by  steamer  where  I  took  the 
stage  and  went  to  Bordentown  where  I  lodged.  The  next  day  I 
went  in  the  Steam  Boat  to  Philadelphia  and  arrived  at  9  o'clock. 
I  went  to  Dr.  Hewson's  whose  servant  took  me  to  Mrs.  Peter  Cure's 
Boarding  House.  I  went  to  the  Hospital,  Museum,  and  Mint, 
where  I  saw  them  make  quarters  of  a  dollar.  I  saw  the  Shot  Tower, 
and  I  went  to  West's  Paintings.  I  left  Philadelphia  on  Tuesday 
the  15th  at  12  o'clock,  and  came  back  by  the  way  of  Bristol, 
Trenton,  Princetown  and  New  Brunswick.  I  was  very  much  de- 
hghted  with  the  journey.  Farewell,  My  Dear  Mother,  I  ever 
remain  Your  Dutiful  Son,  Lyman  Dyer  Spalding. 

Give  my  love  to  Sister  EUzabeth  and  Brother  Edward." 

The  Publication  Committee  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  met  as 
has  been  mentioned  in  New  York  in  June,  1820,  and  later 
on  at  intervals  at  New  Haven  and  in  Hartford  and  Boston, 
where  the  sole  charge  of  the  printing  at  last  fell  into  the 


360  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

hands  of  the  originator  of  the  work.  The  final  galley  proofs, 
now  in  my  possession,  were  revised  by  Dr.  De  Butts  and  last 
of  all  by  Dr.  Spalding. 

The  first  edition  was  printed  December  15,  1820,  by  Wells 
and  Lill}'  of  Boston,  and  copj'^righted  in  the  same  city  and 
on  the  same  date  by  Ewer  and  Bedhngton,  Cornhill,  Nmn- 
ber  51. 

It  would  seem  also  from  the  great  rarity  of  the  original 
edition  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  that  only  such  copies  as  were 
subscribed  for  were  printed  at  this  time:  furthermore  the 
call  for  a  second  edition  inside  of  two  years  adds  to  this  sur- 
mise and  proves  the  value  of  the  work  in  spite  of  its  few 
detractors. 

The  first  "Pharmacopoeia  of  the  United  States  of  America" 
was  a  book  of  274  pages  neatly  printed  on  rather  porous 
paper  about  10  by  6  inches  in  size.  It  opened  with  a  brief 
Historical  Introduction  stating  Dr.  Spalding's  original  sug- 
gestion for  the  work,  the  recommendations  of  the  New  York 
County  Medical  Society,  and  the  formation  of  four  District 
Medical  Conventions  to  be  followed  by  a  National  Con- 
vention. As  previously  unknown  to  me  I  find  that  the  first 
Circulars  were  issued  March  4th,  1818,  and  that  Vermont 
was  the  first  State  to  favor  the  plan  by  a  vote  of  its  Medical 
Society. 

This  is  followed  by  a  Preface,  which  emphasizes  the  need 
of  such  a  work,  the  difficulties  of  the  task  of  selecting  reme- 
dies, and  the  reasons  why  English  and  Latin  were  both  ad- 
visable in  printing  the  book.  For,  if  printed  in  both  of  those 
languages,  the  Latin  part  could  be  understood  by  physicians 
in  many  parts  of  the  Country  who  spoke  both  French  and 
German  and  Latin,  but  had  no  command  of  English. 

Finally,  we  reach  a  hst  of  Materia  Medica,  printed  in  two 
columns  on  each  page,  side  by  side  in  English  and  Latin^  and 

^  This  quotation  from  pages  232-3,  left-hand  and  right-hand  re- 
spectively, gives  an  idea  of  the  general  appearance  of  the  work. 

TINCTURA  LAVANDULAE  TINCTURE  OF  LAVENDER 

Spiritus  lavandulae  octantes  tres.     Take  of  Spirit  of  Lavender  three 

pints. 
Spiritus    rorismarini    octantem    Spirit  of  Rosemary,  one  pint. 

unum. 
Cinnamomi      contusi      unciam    Cinnamon  bruised,  one  oimce. 

unam. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    361 

the  last  200  pages  of  the  book  are  printed  alternately  in 
English  and  Latin  with  directions  for  utilizing  all  of  the 
materials  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  lists. 

The  copy  which  I  own  seems  to  have  been  issued  with 
uncut  edges,  but  in  the  next  edition  the  edges  were 
trimmed. 

The  final  letters  of  this  Collection  that  has  survived  a 
Century  of  wear  and  tear  show  that  the  Surgeon  at  the  head 
of  the  War  Department  recommended  and  purchased  a 
large  number  of  copies  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  believing 
it  of  value  to  Army  Surgeons,  whilst  the  Senior  Surgeon 
of  the  Navy  considered  it  of  no  value,  and  useless  at  any 
price. 

Dr.  Joseph  Lovell  (1788-1835),  at  this  time  Surgeon 
General  of  the  Army,  was  graduated  academically  and  medi- 
cally at  Harvard,  obtained  his  appointment  in  the  Army  in 
the  War  of  1812,  was  advanced  for  his  meritorious  services 
in  the  following  campaigns,  and  promoted  rapidly  to  be  the 
Surgeon  General.  His  appointment  to  this  high  position 
met  with  the  approbation,  congratulations  and  appreciation 
of  the  entire  Medical  Profession  as  well  as  of  the  Medical 
Staff  of  the  Army.  Dr.  Lovell  in  his  new  position  introduced 
many  sadly  needed  reforms  and  was,  personally,  a  man  of 
rare  and  lovely  character.  He  approved  of  the  Pharma- 
copoeia, recommended  it  highly  to  the  Department,  and  in 
June,  1821,  wrote  in  this  laconic  fashion  to  Dr.  Spalding  to 
pay  for  the  copies  shipped  on  the  Sloop  "Rapid"  from 
Boston  to  Dr.  Spalding,  and  by  him  forwarded  to  Dr.  Lovell. 

"Surgeon  General's  Office,  June  20,  1821.  Sir:  I  have  this  day 
received  seventy  copies  of  the  American  Pharmacopoeia  shipped 
from  New  York  (by  Messrs.  T.  and  J.  Swords)  on  the  18th  Ult'o. 
The  Treasurer  of  the  United  States  will  forward  you  the  amount 
of  the  Bill,  S158.50/100.  Respectively  Your  Ob'd't  Serv't.  Jos. 
Lovell.    Surg'n  Gen'l.  U.  S.  A.    To  Lyman  Spalding,  M.D." 


CaryophyUi    contusi    drachmas     Cloves  bruised,  two  drachms. 

duas. 
Myristicse       contusse       unciam     Nutmeg  bruised,  half  an  ounce. 

dimidiam. 
Santalini  rasi  drachmas  tres.  Red   sanders   in   shavings,    three 

drachms. 
Digere  per  dies  decern,  et  per     Digest  for  ten  days,  and  filter. 

chartam  cola. 


362  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

On  the  other  side  of  a  Bill  of  Lading  by  the  "Rapid," 
Captain  Bears,  is  this  Historical  Bill  concerning  the  Pharma- 
copoeia : 

Boston,  May  8,  1821.    Doct'r  L.  Spalding,  Bot  of  Cha's  Ewer. 

70  American  Pharmacopoeias  at  $2.25      $157 .  50 

Discount  25  per  cent  Cash  39 .  37  1/2 


Directed  to  Doct'r  J.  Lovell. 
Surgeon  General  of  the  U.  S.  Army, 
Washington. 
54  American         Pharmaco- 
poeias $101.25 
41  American         Pharmaco- 
poeias Bds  $2  82.00 
1  American         Pharmaco- 
poeia Interleaved  2 .  75 


$118,121/2 


Discount 

$186.00 

46.50 

$139.50 

$139.50 

Boxes 

$257,621/2 

1.051/2  $258.68/100 

Below  is  written:  "By  Schooner  'Eliza'  to  Dr.  Spalding, 
One  copy  Interleaved  and  one  in  Boards." 

On  the  other  hand,  Hon.  Smith  Thompson,  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,^  regretfully  wrote  these  words  to  Dr.  Mitchill 
as  President  of  the  National  Convention. 

"Navy  Department,  June  27,  1821.  Sir:  In  reply  to  your 
letter  of  the  19th  of  May,  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you,  that  the 
Pharmacopoeia  compiled  by  the  Medical  Convention  has  been  re- 
ceived and  the  work  submitted  to  Doctor  Edward  Cutbush,  Senior 
Surgeon  of  the  Navy,  for  his  opinion  and  Report  upon  the  utility  of 
it  for  the  Naval  Service.  I  herewith  enclose  you  a  Copy  of  his 
reply,  and  must  defer  for  the  present,  subscribing  to  any  fixed 
number  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  not  intending  this,  however,  as  a 
definite  refusal  of  the  work.  I  am  Very  Respectfully,  Sir,  Your 
Obed't  Serv't,  Smith  Thompson. 

'  Hon.  Smith  Thompson  (1766-1843),  also  a  friend  of  Dr.  Spalding, 
was  a  graduate  from  Princeton  who  studied  law  and  went  into  New 
York  Politics,  being  in  succession,  Maj^or  of  the  City,  Justice  and  Chief 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and 
finally  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  He  was 
very  religious  and  deeply  interested  in  the  American  Bible  Society. 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    363 

Here  follows  now  the  curious  Report  of  Dr.  Cutbush. 

"Sir:  Agreeably  to  your  order  of  the  12th  Inst.,  I  have  examined 
the  copy  of  the  American  Pharmacopoeia  which  was  referred  to 
me.  I  regret  that  I  cannot  give  it  my  unqualified  approbation  of 
the  work  for  the  use  of  our  Naval  Surgeons.  It  contains  many  pre- 
scriptions which  every  physician  ought  to  be  capable  of  forming 
according  to  the  age  of  his  patient,  and  the  effect  he  wishes  to 
produce. 

I  consider  the  Articles  composing  the  Materia  Medica  as  the 
tools  or  implements  of  the  physician,  which  he  is  to  use  according 
to  the  extent  of  his  knowledge  of  their  virtues,  guided  by  his  medical 
education  and  experience,  that  no  article  entering  into  the  formation 
of  the  prescriptions  shall  decompose,  or  be  decomposed  by  another, 
and  consequently  rendered  inert,  or  be  inactive,  as  one  of  the  co7n- 
ponent  parts.  With  this  impression,  I  have  no  hesitation  in 
declaring  that  many  of  the  formula  are  injudicious  and  others  de- 
ficient in  the  important  articles  which  rendered  them  useful,  and 
will  be  so  considered  by  many  of  our  profession,  in  short,  Sir,  I  fear 
the  work  will  not  bear  a  critical  examination.  I  think  that  a 
treatise  comprising  the  Elements  of  Materia  Medica,  and  Phar- 
maceutical Chemistry  would  be  more  useful  to  the  Naval  Medical 
assistants,  than  that  which  I  have  examined,  and  that  it  would  be 
well  for  the  present  to  suspend  any  order  on  the  subject  of  intro- 
ducing it  into  "General  Use,"  in  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
Navy  of  the  United  States :  leaving  it  optional  with  the  Surgeon  to 
indent  for  this  or  any  other  American  Pharmacopoeia  or  Dispensa- 
tory that  he  may  select.  Such  an  order  would  probably  be  con- 
sidered as  a  sanction  of  the  work  in  a  National  Point  of  View.  I 
have  the  honor  to  remain,  etc.,  E.  Cutbush,  Surgeon,  Washington, 
June  22,  1821. 

With  this  solitary  exception,  the  Pharmacopoeia  was  well 
received  everywhere.  Even  Massachusetts  physicians,  in 
duty  bound  to  uphold  the  value  of  their  own  State  Phar- 
macopoeia were  glad  to  testify  to  the  merits  of  the  new  work 
as  it  stood,  and  to  its  promise  for  the  future. 

Dr.  Warren  said  in  The  New  England  Medical  Journal: 
"The  foundation  has  been  well  laid,  and  the  improvements 
sure  to  appear  in  the  decade  appointed  for  the  second  edition 
will  increase  its  practical  value.  It  is  remarkable,  that  in 
so  short  a  time,  and  with  so  small  a  band  of  men  so  much 
has  been  accomplished,  despite  the  obstacles  of  travel  and 
of  correspondence  by  mail." 

"The  Repository"  printed  a  twelve-paged  review,  partly 
from  the  original  Introduction  as  written  by  Dr.  Spalding, 


364  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

and  partly,  from  the  pen  of  Dr.  IMitchill  or  Dr.  Pascalis.  In 
general  terms  it  runs  to  this  effect: 

This  work  forms  an  era  in  the  historj^  of  the  Profession. 
It  is  the  first  one  ever  compiled  by  the  authority  of  the  pro- 
fession throughout  a  nation.  Collections  of  this  sort  have 
been  made  in  other  countries,  but  none,  so  far,  under  the  im- 
pressive sanction  which  distinguishes  this.  ]\Iany  of  the 
Authorities  of  the  Past  compiled  similar  works,  later  still, 
the  Colleges  of  Great  Britian  have  followed  their  example, 
France  by  command  of  her  oMonarch  has  furnished  her 
''Codex,"  but  it  has  remained  for  American  Physicians  to 
frame  a  work  which  emanates  from  the  profession  itself, 
and  is  founded  on  the  principles  of  Representation.  It 
embodies  a  Codex  IMedicum  of  the  free  and  independent 
United  States. 

The  originator  had  before  him  European  models,  but  he 
and  his  fellow-physicians  chose  to  render  their  work  plain 
and  simple  and  they  have  succeeded. 

Although  it  may  meet  with  opposition  from  authors  and 
sellers  of  books  already  before  the  pubMc,  and  apothecaries 
accustomed  to  prepare  their  medicines  according  to  the 
directions  in  books  of  that  sort,  yet,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
they  will  understand,  that  the  new  work  comes  forth  only  as 
a  guide,  and  rule  for  Simple,  and  Ofl5.cinal  Compounds,  and 
for  that  reason  we  trust  that  it  will  be  cordially  received  by 
the  Profession,  at  all  events,  and  generally  by  aU  who  may  be 
interested. 

In  his  annual  address  before  the  next  stated  meeting  of 
the  New  York  State  Medical  Society  follo\^ing  the  publi- 
cation of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  Dr.  Steams,  the  President,  said: 
"The  time  is  not  remote  when  the  opinion  of  American 
Phj'sicians  will  be  referred  to  as  of  the  highest  authority. 
The  late  efforts  to  form  a  National  Pharmacopoeia  is  an  illus- 
tration of  my  position:  an  effort  never  before  equalled,  and 
the  magnitude  of  which  intimidated  many  of  its  most  ardent 
friends,  but  which  was  urgently  required.  The  delegates 
did  their  work  well,  and  made  a  judicious  and  satisfactoiy 
selection  from  the  material  offered.  It  is,  with  no  ordinary 
satisfaction,  therefore,  that  I  announce,  officially  the  com- 
pletion of  a  work  which  constitutes  an  Era  in  our  National 
Medical  History.  The  benefit  will  extend  to  ever^-  physician 
and  ultimately  to  every  patient  in  the  United  States.    We 


THE  PHARMACOPCEIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    365 

search  the  annals  of  the  Medical  World,  in  vain,  for  such  a 
precedent." 

Without  going  into  minute  details  of  dollars  and  cents 
spent  by  Dr.  Spalding  in  completing  his  labors  upon  the 
Pharmacopoeia,  every  one  of  which  is  accounted  for  by  the 
papers  now  before  me  and  all  in  his  handwriting,  a  few  items 
of  the  cost  may  be  pardoned  at  the  end  of  this  book  written 
to  illustrate  the  career  of  its  Originator. 

The  copyright  sold  for  $1600,  and  the  expenses  were 
$1380.63/100  leaving  a  balance  of  $219.37/100  which  was 
turned  over  to  the  County  Medical  Society  of  New  York. 
The  chief  sums  paid  to  New  England  Physicians  were  $150 
to  Dr.  Eli  Ives  for  expenses  in  attending  two  Conventions, 
and  meetings  of  the  Publication  Committee;  $65  to  Dr.  Jacob 
Bigelow,  including  costs  of  copying  useful  material  from  the 
Massachusetts  Pharmacopoeia  as  a  basis  for  the  National 
work.  Dr.  Stevens  received  $125  and  Dr.  Mitchill,  $115. 
The  other  physicians  attending  a  Convention  either  at 
Boston  or  Philadelphia  were  paid  from  $25  to  $50  for  their 
expenses,  and  were  paid  additionally  by  grants  of  money 
from  their  respective  State  Medical  Societies. 

Mention  should  also  be  made  of  the  payment  of  $50,  to 
some  person  so  far  unknown,  for  translating  the  new  Phar- 
macopoeia into  fluent  Latin.  Dr.  Spalding  took  for  himself 
in  full,  including  attendance  at  Philadelphia,  Washington 
and  the  various  PubHcation  Committee  Meetings  the  sum 
of  $250,  to  which  he  added  $13  for  the  expenses  of  his  son, 
Lyman  Dyer,  to  Philadelphia  and  return.  From  these 
figures  then  it  will  be  seen  that  all  of  the  physicians  made 
very  moderate  charges,  and  that  the  Pharmacopoeia  as  a 
whole  at  a  charge  by  Dr.  Spalding  of  $263  was  a  very  ex- 
cellent gift  on  the  part  of  its  originator,  to  the  physicians  of 
the  United  States. 

The  Interleaved  copy  mentioned  on  a  former  page  was 
sent  with  the  appended  note  to  Dr.  Spalding's  hfe-long 
friend,  Dr.  John  CoUins  Warren. 

"Undated.  Dear  Sir:  The  Gentlemen  concerned  ia  the  forma- 
tion of  the  American  Pharmacopoeia  beg  you  to  accpt  this  copy  of 
their  work.  The  intention  of  interleaving  it,  is,  that  you  should 
make  corrections  and  observations  and  communicate  them  in  due 
season  to  some  of  the  Delegates  chosen  to  re\'ise  it,  in  1830,  Your 
Friend,  L.  Spalding." 


366  DR.  LYMAN  SPALDING 

The  publication  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  was  the  cuhninat- 
ing  point  in  the  career  of  Dr.  Spalding,  for  about  the  time 
that  the  book  was  issued  from  the  press  he  was  walking  along 
Pearl  Street,  New  York,  when  he  was  hit  on  the  head  by  a 
box  of  rubbish  falHng  from  a  second  stoiy  window.  The 
force  of  the  blow  was  broken  somewhat  by  his  hat  and  wig, 
but  from  its  effects  he  never  recovered.  By  February  of 
1821,  he  was  alarmingly  ill,  but  he  improved  sHghtly.  Re- 
lapses followed  and  in  May  he  went  into  the  country  to  rest 
in  the  house  of  his  friend.  Dr.  John  Polhemus  of  Clarkstown, 
Rockland  County,  New  York,  a  devoted  pupil  and  friend.^ 

The  last  scientific  observation  made  by  Dr.  Spalding  was 
on  the  18th  of  August,  1821,  when  at  the  exhumation  of  the 
body  of  Major  Andre,  he  called  the  attention  of  his  son, 
Lyman  Dyer,  to  the  curious  fact,  that  the  hair  on  the  head 
and  face  of  Andre,  clean  shaven  on  the  day  of  his  death  had 
grown  profusely  afterward. 

Perceiving  in  September,  that  he  could  not  recover.  Dr. 
Spalding  caused  all  of  his  business  affairs  in  New  York  to  be 
settled  honorably,  said  Good  Bye  to  a  few  intimate  friends, 
and  taking  passage  on  the  Sloop  "Ten  Sisters,"  Captain 
Hallett,  bound  for  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  he  sailed 
away,  to  pass  the  few  days  that  might  be  spared  to  him,  with 
the  kind  relations  of  his  wife,  the  children  of  Captain  Peter 
Coues.  He  arrived  at  his  old  home  on  the  Piscataqua  about 
the  17th  of  October,  and  on  the  21st,  he  departed  from  the 
scenes  of  his  labors.  He  had  calculated  his  endurance  to  a 
nicety,  he  had  diagnosticated  the  absolute  fatality  of  his 
accident  and  he  had  lived  just  long  enough  to  reach  his 
lamenting  friends,  to  greet  them  once  more  for  a  brief  day 
or  two,  and  then  to  take  of  them  all  his  last  Farewell. 

Soon  after  death,  his  life-long  friend,  Dr.  Samuel  Mitchill, 
wrote  concerning  him. 

"  It  is  with  unfeigned  regret  that  we  announce  the  death 
of  a  worthy  man  and  enhghtened  physician.  His  mild  and 
amiable  character,  his  ingenuous  deportment,  and  his  native 
zeal  and  assiduity  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  the  Profession, 
and  improve  its  many  branches,  will  cause  many  to  lament 

1  Dr.  Polhemus  was  born  in  1793,  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Jacob 
Outwater  of  Clarkstown  and  with  Dr.  Spalding  at  Fairfield.  After 
marrying  Ellen  Outwater,  the  daughter  of  his  preceptor  he  practiced  in 
his  native  town  until  1859,  when  he  retired  and  died  in  New  York,  in 

1875. 


THE  PHARMACOP(EIA  OF  UNITED  STATES    367 

the  cessation  of  his  labors;  but  his  intimate  friends,  alone, 
knew  how  pure  and  disinterested  were  his  motives.  He 
was  the  Original  Projector  of  our  National  Pharmacopoeia, 
and  aided  with  unremitting  diUgence  in  bringing  the  work  to 
its  present  form,  but  an  enfeebled  and  shattered  mind  in- 
duced by  chronic  disease,  deprived  him  of  the  cheering  view 
of  the  full  consummation  of  his  labors,  and  the  Profession  of 
one  of  its  most  worthy  members." 

Many  years  later,  a  former  patient  wrote  to  the  local 
newspaper  upon  the  anniversary  of  his  death:  "Dr.  Lyman 
Spalding  was  a  man  whom  no  one  could  approach  without 
respect,  or  leave  without  affection." 

As  for  me,  his  grandson,  I  am  glad  to  have  lived  to  rescue 
from  absolute  oblivion,  the  memory  of  this  genial  man:  in- 
dustrious, patient,  persevering,  he  carried  out  to  the  end  all 
that  he  had  begun  until  interrupted  by  his  fatal  accident. 
To  medicine  in  all  its  branches  he  gave  his  life.  It  seems  to 
me  that  these  letters  prove  his  great  ability,  and  his  high 
gift  for  human  friendliness  to  all  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact.  They  also  prove  that  he  was  a  capable  physician, 
a  skilful  surgeon,  a  fluent  writer,  an  energetic  organizer  of 
men,  an  eloquent  lecturer  and  during  the  time  of  his  activity 
in  that  branch  of  learning,  a  remarkable  anatomist. 

What  else  can  I  name  him  except  as  one  Illustrious,  m 
American  Medicine :  and  now  after  a  long,  though  daily  in- 
terrupted, study  of  his  eminent  career,  I  regretfully  bid  him 
Farewell. 


INDEX 


Abbott,  Dr.  Joel,  352  N. 

Abernethy,  John,  311  N. 

Adams,  Dr.  Daniel,  Letters  on 
Plagiarism  and  Affairs  at  Han- 
over, 23,  25;  Mentioned,  42; 
Note  on,  21  n. 

Adams,  Pres.  John,  Letter  on  Bills 
of  Mortality,  100. 

Adams,  Nathaniel,  97  n. 

Adipocere,  Case  of,  148  n. 

Akerly,  Dr.  Samuel,  349  n. 

Akin,  James,  Engraver,  Letters  on 
Plates,  128,  129. 

Alden,  Rev.  Timothy,  92  n,  259. 

Alexander,  Rev.  Caleb,  Letters  on 
Fairfield  Affairs,  193  n,  196,  201, 
203,  206,  209,  210,  213,  215,  217, 
218,  221,  225. 

Alibert,  Baron,  Jean  Louis,  148  N. 

Allen,  Dr.  Jonathan,  18  n. 

"American  Medical  Recorder," 
325  N. 

Anderson,  Dr.  Alexander,  126. 

Andre,  Major,  Exhiunation  of,  366. 

Aneurism,  Cases  of,  155,  159. 

Aspinwall,  Dr.  William,  108  n, 

Assilini,  Chevalier  Piero,  307  N. 

Atlee,  Dr.  Edwin  Augustus,  354  N. 

Atlee,  Dr.  Samuel,  354  n. 

Austin,  Mr.,  304  N. 

Azote,  16  N. 

Babbitt,  Lieut.,  U.  S.  N.,  333. 
Babbitt,  Dr.,  62  n. 
Bache,  Druggist,  153  N. 
Bagley,  Stage  Driver,  44  N. 
Baker,  Dr.  Samuel,  343  N. 
Baldwin,  Mr.,  204. 
Ballou,  Rev.  Hosea,  265  n. 
Banks,  Sir  Joseph,  31  n,  93. 
Barber  Family,  278. 
Barber,  V.  H.,  on  Fairfield,  278; 
on  Italy,  285. 


Barker,  Dr.  Francis,  350  N. 

Barker,  Dr.  Jeremiah,  121  n;  on 
Vaccine,  140;  on  his  "Prospec- 
tus for  a  Medical  History,"  315, 
316  N. 

Barnes,  Miss  Eunice,  266  N. 

Barnes,  Mr.  Bill,  189,  265. 

Barron,  Major  W.,  197  N. 

Bartlett,  Dr.  Boston,  93. 

Bartlett,  Dr.  Ezra,  57  n. 

Bartlett,  Dr.  Joshua,  71,  72  N. 

Bartlett,  Dr.  Josiah,  57  n;  On 
Vaccination,  60,  62;  On  Dr. 
Spalding  leaving  Portsmouth, 
266. 

Bartlett,  Dr.  Levi,  57  n;  on  New 
Hampshire  Medical  Society  Af- 
fairs, 112;  On  Scull  Cap,  321, 
322  N. 

Bartlett,  Dr.  Peter,  191  N. 

Barton,  Dr.  Benjamin  Smith,  167, 
173,  188,  334,  367. 

Batchelder,  Dr.  John  Putnam, 
314,  315  N. 

Battery,  Galvanic  of  Dr.  Spalding, 
122. 

Bayley,  Capt.  Cazneau,  91  n,  92. 

Baynton,  Dr.  Thomas,  74  n. 

Beaume,  Antoine,  26  N. 

"Beauty,"  Spalding,  22. 

Beck,  Theodric  Romayne,  335  N. 

Beddoes,  Dr.  Thomas,  26  N. 

Bell,  Dr.  Andrew,  295  n. 

Bell,  Dr.  Benjamin,  32  n. 

Bell,  Sir  Charles,  125  N.,  158  N. 

Bell,  Mr.  John,  154  n. 

Bellows,  Col.,  23  n.,  29. 

Berthollet,  Count  Claude  Louis, 
13  N. 

Bichat,  Felix  Xavier,  299  N. 

Bigelow,  Dr.  Jacob,  243  n.,  244; 
On  Vaccme,  245,  272. 

Billings,  Dr.  Benjamin,  57  N. 


369 


370 


INDEX 


Binney,  Horace,  267  n. 

Blanchard,  Dr.  Abel,  on  Batteries, 
122,  123. 

Blizzard,  Sir  William,  311  n. 

Boardman,  Capt.  George,  85. 

Booerhave,  223  n. 

Boston  Pharmacopoeia  Conven- 
tion, 353. 

Bowditch,  Edward,  129. 

Brackett,  Mr.  John  Warren,  120. 

Brackett,  Dr.  Joshua,  38  n. 

Brackett,  Dr.  Joshua,  2d,  On 
Portsmouth  News,  185. 

Bradley,  Dr.  Peleg,  249  N. 

Bradley,  Gen.  Stephen  Rowe, 
39  N.,  91. 

Brande,  William  Thomas,  312  n. 

Brewster,  Gen.  Ebenezer,  23  n. 

Brewster,  Miss  Hannah,  92  n. 

Brewster,  Col.  and  Mrs.  WiUiam, 
53  N. 

Brown,  Dr.  John,  174  n.,  223  n. 

BrowTi,  Dr.  Samuel,  10  n.,  54  n.; 
and  Vaccination  Scabs,  55. 

Bruce,  Dr.  Archibald,  240  N. 

Burge,  Dr.  Benjamin,  264  n. 

Burnside,  Dr.  Thomas,  on  Instru- 
ments, 124. 

Burr,  Mr.  Aaron,  333. 

Burroughs,  Rev.  Charles,  245  n. 

Burroughs,  "Life  of  Stephen,"  14. 

Cabanis,  Pierre  George,  185  n. 

Csesarean  Section,  308. 

Caldwell,  Dr.  Charles,  On  Small- 
Pox,  105;  On  Desault,  114;  On 
Spotted  Fever,  261;  His  Works, 
262,  280  n;  Introducing  Dr. 
Spalding  to  a  New  York  Friend, 
267;  asks  for  a  Recommendation 
from  Dr.  Spalding,  280;  On 
"The  Institutes  of  Medicine," 
280;  On  Dr.  Wistar,  289,  290. 

Campbell,  Dr.  J.  C,  On  a  Patient 
in  New  York,  302. 

Cann,  Case  of  Mr.  James,  319- 
328. 

Carleton,  Dr.  Edward,  254. 

CarlLsle,  Sir  Anthony,  337  N. 

Carr,  Dr.  John,  250  n. 

Carter,  Dr.  of  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  337. 


Carter,  Rev.  Abiel,  282. 

Castine,  Maine,  69. 

Cazeau,  Mons.,  148  N. 

Chadbomne,  Isaac,  146  n. 

Chamberlain,  John  Curtis,  M.C., 
On  Post  Roads,  160. 

Channing,  Dr.  Walter,  205  N. 

Chapman,  Dr.  Nathaniel,  166, 177. 

Chaptal,  Jean  Antoine,  33  N. 

Chase,  Dudley,  182  n. 

Chase,  Dr.  Heber,  23  N. 

Chase,  Ithamar,  5,  27,  68,  78  n. 

Chase,  Moses,  1. 

Chase,  R't  Rev'd  Philander,  2;  On 
Louisiana  Affairs,  117,  180-182. 

Chase,  Salmon,  118  n. 

Chase,  Samuel,  1. 

Chaimcey,  Charles,  183  n. 

Chauncey,  Commodore  Isaac, 
231  N. 

Cheeseman,  Dr.  John  Cummings, 
331. 

Chemical  Lectiu-es  by  Dr.  Mitch- 
iU,  42. 

Chemical  Lectureship  at  Dart- 
mouth, Dr.  Spalding  resigns 
from,  52. 

Chemistry,  Dr.  Spalding's  Interest 
m,  33. 

Chisholm,  Dr.  Collin,  66  n. 

Church,  Dr.  John,  121. 

Clapp,  Dr.  Benjamin,  On  the 
Philadelphia  Medical  School,  188. 

Clapp,  Dr.  Eleazer,  283  n. 

Clarkson,  Mr.,  278  n. 

Cleaveland,  Prof.  Parker,  256  n. 

Cleghorn,  Dr.  George,  172. 

Cline,  Mr.  Henry,  178  n.,  186. 

Clinical  Instruction  at  Harvard 
Medical  School  in  1797,  5. 

Clinton,  Gov.  De  Witt,  214,  214  N, 
216,  219,  220,  329. 

Clinton,  Gov.  George,  214. 

Clinton,  James,  214. 

Coleman,  William,  322  n.,  323. 

Cock,  Dr.  Thomas,  331. 

Coffin,  Nathaniel,  Esq.,  Bill  Col- 
lections for  Dr.  Spalding,  135. 

Coins  for  Corner  Stone,  St.  John's, 
Portsmouth,  78  n. 

College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, New  York,  265  n.,  329. 


INDEX 


371 


Congress  Hotel,  Washington, 
D.  C,  357. 

Cooper,  Sir  Astley,  178  N. 

Cooper,  Mr.  Boston,  23. 

Corvisart,  Baron  Jean  Louis,  205 
N,  221. 

Coues,  Miss  Caroline,  195,  261  n. 

Coues,  Miss  Elizabeth,  79,  110. 

Coues,  Capt.  Peter,  79,  80,  93  n, 
314,  318,  341. 

Coues,  Samuel  Elliott,  252  n. 

Cox,  Dr.  John  Redman,  108  N., 
173,  188,  189,  268. 

Crawley,  Dr.  WilUam,  91,  92,  93. 

Crevier,  Jean  Louis,  342  n. 

Cullen,  Dr.  William,  223  N. 

Cruikshank,  Dr.  William  Cum- 
berland, 25  N. 

Cutbush,  Dr.  Edward,  344  n; 
Opinion  of  Pharmacopoeia,  363. 

Cutter,  Dr.  Ammi  Ruhamah, 
54  N.,  55,  56,  57,  248,  340. 

Cutter,  Dr.  William,  54  n.,  164. 

Daignan,  Dr.  GuiUaume,  101  n. 

Dalcho,  Dr.  Frederick,  On  South- 
ern Medicme,  243,  243  n. 

Dame,  Dr.  Alexander,  3,  8,  8  N. 

Dana,  Hon.  Judah,  29,  288  N. 

Danforth,  Dr.  Isaac,  65  N.- 

Dartmouth  College,  Expenses  at, 
in  1800,  46;  "Vmdication  of 
Trustees,"  282  n. 

Dartmouth  Medical  School,  Foun- 
ded, 12;  Dr.  Spalding's  Work 
at  the,  32;  Resignation  from  the, 
48;  Items  Concerning  History 
of  the,  49,  50  n,  69;  Dr.  Na- 
than Noyes  on  the,  76;  Dr. 
Alexander  Ramsay  at  the,  150; 
Dr.  Smith's  Chemical  Lectures 
at  the,  156;  New  Building  for, 
159;  Notes  on  the,  264,  284  n. 

Darwin,  Robert,  76  n. 

Darwin,  Erasmus,  76  N. 

Davenport's  Stage,  44. 

Davy,  Sir  Humphrey,  310  N. 

Dawes,  Judge,  146  n. 

Day,  Dr.  Sylvester,  69  n. 

Dearborn,  Gen.  Henry,  40  n; 
Appoints  Dr.  Spalding  Siu-- 
geon's  Mate  in  U.  S.  Army,  41. 


Dearborn,  Mr.  Benjamin,  Letter 
on  Lightning  Strokes,  136. 

DeButts,  Dr.  Elisha,  343  n,  353. 

DeCarro,  Dr.  Jean,  116  n. 

De  La  Motta,  Dr.  Jacob,  On 
the  Pharmacopoeia,  339,  340  n, 
355. 

Delaplaine,  Joseph,  273  n. 

Dennie,  Mr.  Joseph,  98  N. 

Dent,  Sir  Digby,  79. 

Desault,  Dr.  Pierre  Joseph,  115  n. 

Dewees,  Dr.  William  Potts,  168, 
176. 

DeWitt,  Dr.  Benjamin,  207  n, 
208. 

Dexter,  Dr.  Aaron,  4  n.,  37. 

Deyton,  Major,  190. 

Dinsmore,  Hon.  Silas,  120. 

Ditties,  70  n. 

Dorsey,  Dr.  John  Syng,  167; 
Notes  on  his  Lectures,  177; 
Letter  on  Plaster,  187,  188;  On 
Caspar  Wistar,  271. 

Dow,  Dr.  Jabez,  On  New  Hamp- 
shire Medical  Affairs,  277, 
277  N. 

Drake,  Dr.  Francis  Rodman,  15  N. 

Drowne,  Dr.  Solomon,  353  n. 

Drury,  Dr.  John,  38. 

Dubois,  Dr.  Anton,  308  n. 

Dunham,  Capt.  Josiah,  9,  9  n; 
On  Surgeon's  Mate  Appoint- 
ment, 40;  On  Portsmouth  Gar- 
rison Affairs,  96. 

Dupuytren,  Dr.  GuiUaume,  309  N. 

Durrell,  Daniel  Meserve,  M.C., 
141  N. 

Dwight,  Dr.  Josiah,  62  n,  302, 
340. 

Dykeman,  Dr.  Jacob,  331. 

Edwin,  David,  Engraver,  127. 

EUot,  Rev.  John,  76  n;  On  Chem- 
istry, 113. 

Ellis,  Ohver,  200  N. 

Ergot,  Dr.  James  Jackson  on,  298; 
Dr.  John  Stearns  on,  299;  Dr. 
Spalding  on,  110,  299. 

Eustis,  Dr.  and  Gov.,  152. 

Evans,  Richard,  On  Portsmouth 
Affairs,  97. 

Evans,  Capt.  Estwick,  91  n. 


372 


INDEX 


Fairfield  Academy,  Affairs  at,  192; 
et  seq.,  242,  278. 

FaU-fever,  72. 

"Farmer's  Gazette,"  Dr.  Spalding 
\\Tites  for  the,  29. 

Fay,  Case  of  Benjamin,  131  N. 

Fay,  Case  of  Dr.  Cyrus,  99  n. 

Fisher,  Dr.  Joshua,  315  N. 

Fisk,  Dr.  Peter,  on  Hydrophobia, 
323. 

Folsom,  Mr.  and  His  Yellow  Fever, 
86. 

Ford,  Simeon,  196  n,  222,  239. 

Fordyce,  Dr.  George,  185  n. 

Fort  Constitution,  Explosion  at, 
164  n;  Accounts,  185  n. 

Foster,  Capt.  Joseph,  79. 

Foster,  Dr.  Samuel,  on  Vaccina- 
tion, 140. 

Fothergill,  Dr.  Anthony,  154  n. 

Fom'croy,  Dr.  Anton  Francois,  44  N. 

Fowler,  Dr.  Richard,  74  N. 

Fox,  Dr.  Jesse,  On  State  of  Medi- 
cine in  Massachusetts,  249. 

Foxglove  in  Tuberculosis,  66. 

Francis,  Dr.  John  Wakefield, 
316  N. 

Frank,  Johann  Peter,  327  n. 

Frank,  Dr.  Nathan,  314  n.  (This 
may  be  a  misspelling  for  Trask.) 

Fredonian,  357  n. 

Freeman,  Peyton  Randolph,  46  n. 

Freeman,  Judge  Samuel,  133  n. 

Frost,  Dr.  William,  118  n;  On 
Portland  Debts  due  Dr.  Spald- 
ing, 118;  On  Vaccination,  119; 
On  Medical  Affairs  in  Portland, 
Maine,  133. 

Fryeburg  (Maine),  Medical  School, 
288. 

Fuller,  Miss  Nancy,  70  n. 

Gale,  Dr.  Amos,  on  Hydrophobia, 
321. 

Gardner,  Francis,  M.C.,  141  n. 

Gates,  Dr.  Jacob,  205  n. 

Gates,  Judge,  Seth,  218  n. 

Gay-Lussac,  309  n. 

Geese,  Disease  amongst  the,  at 
Hanover,  30,  31  n. 

Gerrish,  Dr.  Samuel,  On  Vaccina- 
tion, 66. 


Gerry,  Gov.  Elbridge,  304  n. 
Gilbert  (Baron),  Benjamin  Joseph, 

24  N. 
Gimbrede,     Mr.,     an     Engraver, 

358  N. 
Goddon,  Chemist,  180. 
Goiter,  Dr.  Hedge  on,  144. 
Goodhue,  Dr.  Joseph,  41,  65  N. 
Goold,  G.,  128. 
Gorham,  Prof.  John,  312  n. 
Grant,  Major  Sam,  29. 
Graves,  Dr.  William,  142  N. 
Greely,  Dr.  Jonathan,  277. 
Greene,    Dr.    Alpheus,    On    Dr. 

Spalding's  Character,  235. 
Green  Stone,  83  n. 
Gregory,  Dr.  George,  69  n. 
GricUey,  Dr.  Selah,  353  n. 
Griffiths,     Dr.     Samuel     Powell, 

354  N. 
Guyton-Morveau,  Dr.,  13  n. 

Hadley,  Dr.  James,  On  Fairfield, 
226  N.,  228,  232. 

Hale,  Dr.  David,  On  Pharma- 
copoeia, 347. 

Hale,  Mr.,  306. 

Halleck,  Fitz  Greene,  14  N. 

Hamilton,  Dr.  Frank,  242. 

Hare,  Dr.  Robert,  189,  189  N. 

Harper,  John  Adams,  M.C.,  On 
Dr.  Spalding,  269,  269  N. 

Harris,  William  Coffin,  295. 

Hart,  Eph.,  215. 

Hartshorn,  Dr.  Joseph,  289  n. 

Hauy,  Abbe,  309  n. 

Haven,  Rev.  Dr.,  92  n. 

Haven,  Nathaniel  Appleton,  M.C., 
162,  162  N. 

Hazard,  Samuel,  187  n. 

Hazeltine,  Dr.  Richard,  On  Medi- 
cal Affairs,  157,  157  n. 

Hedge,  Dr.  Abraham,  21  n;  On 
Dartmouth  and  Vaccination, 
63;  Opinion  of  Dr.  Nathan 
Smith,  65;  Rumor  of  Death  of, 
90,  90  N,  97;  On  Tuberculosis, 
95. 

Hedge,  Lemuel,  M.C.,  11  n,  92  n. 

Henderson,  Dr.  Thomas,  355  n. 

Hewson,  Dr.  Thomas  Tickell, 
289  N,  344. 


INDEX 


373 


Home,  Sir  Everard,  311  N, 

"Hope,"  Barque,  7. 

Hopkinsism,  146  N. 

Hoi-witz,  Dr.  Jonathan,  On  The 
Chair  of  Anatomy  in  Phila- 
delphia, 288-293;  On  The  He- 
brew Chair  in  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son's College,  292. 

Hosack,  Dr.  David,  198  n,  208,  209. 

Hosack's  Garden,  198  n. 

Howe,  Dr.  Abner,  24  N. 

Hotchkiss,  226  n. 

Hubbard,  Dr.  Oliver,  On  Phila- 
delphia Medicine,  244,  245,  248, 
249  N. 

Hunking,  Dr.  Benjamin,  Buys  Dr. 
Spalding's  Practice,  254. 

Hunter,  Dr.  John,  87  n,  93,  176. 

Hmiter,  Mrs.  John,  311  n. 

Huntt,  Dr.  Henry,  355  n. 

Hurlbut,  Dr.  Lemuel,  On  Dr. 
Clapp  and  Saratoga  Waters, 
301,  302. 

Hutchings,  Ezra,  112  n. 

Hydrophobia,  see  Case  of  James 
Cann,  319;  Dr.  James  Mease 
on,  324. 

Indian  Charity  School,  70. 
Ingalls,  Dr.  William,  291  N. 
"Institutes  of  Medicine,"  282  n, 
Ives,  Dr.  Ansel  W.,  330. 
Ives,  Dr.  Eli,  353,  357. 

Jackson,  Dr.  Hall,  316  N. 
Jackson,    Dr.    James,    59  n;    On 

Ergot,  298. 

Jackson,  Dr.  John,  93,  152,  153  n. 

Jackson,  John,  Jr.,  127;  On  New 
York  Offices  for  Physicians,  257. 

Jacob,  Dr.  W.,  193  n,  197,  202. 

James,  Dr.  Thomas  Chalkley,  168, 
177,  189. 

Jay,  Hon.  John,  229,  268  N. 

Jay,  Hon.  Peter,  268  n. 

Jefferson,  Thomas,  On  Scull  Cap, 
100,  327. 

Jeffries,  152  N. 

Jenner,  Dr.  Edward,  On  Vaccina- 
tion, 93,  116,  121. 

Jewett,  Dr.  Luther,  On  Vaccina- 
tion, 134, 


Joan  of  Arc,  33  n. 

Johnson,  Dr.  Cyrus,  121. 

Johnson,  Dr.  Robert  Wallace,  33  n. 

Joint-Mice,  175. 

Judd,  Rev.  Bethel,  231  N. 

Kilkushism,  83  N. 

Kimball,  Stage  Driver,  79  N. 

Kink  Cough,  351  n. 

Kinsman,  Dr.,  69  n. 

Kinsman,  Nathaniel,  Esq.,  118  n  ; 
On  Portland  Debtors,  120. 

Kissam,  Dr.  Richard  Sharpe,  330. 

Kittredge,  Dr.,  43  n. 

Klapp,  Dr.  Joseph,  On  Philadel- 
phia and  Fairfield  Medical 
School,  232,  232  n. 

Knowlton,  Ebenezer,  18  n. 

KoUock,  Dr.  Lemuel,  On  Pharma- 
copoeia, 337,  352. 

Lancaster,  Joseph,  295  N. 
Lane,  Deacon,  137. 
Lang,  Richard,  24  n. 
Langdon,    Gov.  John,   39  n;    On 

His  Health,  91. 
Langdon,     Dr.    WiUiam    Eustis, 

151 N,   263;    On   the   Pharma- 
copoeia, 340. 
Larrey,    Baron,    279  n;     Thanks 

Dr.  Spalding,  279,  327. 
Lavoisier,  Antoine  Laurent,  33  n. 
Lawrence,  Sir  William,  312. 
Lawrence  vs.  Abernethy,  312  N. 
Leavitt,  Dr.  Roswell,  18. 
LeGallois,     Julien    Jean     Caesar, 

271  N. 
Lerned,   Dr.  Ebenezer,   On  New 

Hampshire  Med.  Soc,  190. 
Lettsom,  John  Coakley,  102  n. 
Lettuce  Gum,  Letters  on,  73,  83, 

86;  Dr.  David  Ramsay  on,  86. 
Lieutaud,  Joseph,  354  n. 
Lightning,  Cases  of  Stroke  by,  at 

Portsmouth,  137. 
Lincoln,  Dr.  Levi,  206,  221. 
Livermore,  Hon.  Arthur,  On  Army 

Appointment,  39,  39  N. 
Livermore,  Hon.  Edward  St.  Loe, 

53  N. 
Livermore,  Hon.  Samuel,  39  N. 
Livermore,  Samuel  Kidder,  53  N. 
Lloyd,  Dr.  James,  147  n. 


374 


INDEX 


Lockyer,  75  n. 

Long,  Miss  Mary,  79. 

Long,  Dr.  Moses,  190  n. 

Lordat,  Dr.  Jacques,  298  N. 

Lottery,  Dr.  Nathan  Smith's  for 
Medical  Library,  2. 

Louisiana  Affairs,  Philander  Chase 
on,  117,  180. 

Lovell,  Dr.  John,  U.  S.  A.,  361. 

Lymphatics,  Dr.  Spalding  Suc- 
ceeds in  Injecting  the,  175. 

LjTin,  Dr.,  46. 

MacNeven,   Dr.  William  James, 

258  N. 
Malignant  Fever  at  Hanover,  18  N. 
Mann,  Dr.  James,  222  n,  224,  227. 
Manning,  Dr.  Samuel,  58  n,  62. 
Manning,  Dr.  Thomas,  On  Bills 

of  Mortahty,  112. 
Manter,  Dr.,  210  n. 
Marc,  Dr.  Charles  Chretien  Henri, 

351  N. 
March,  Dr.  John,  69  n. 
Martin,  Dr.  Samuel  Blair,  343  N. 
Marvin,  Judge,  8  n. 
Mason,  Hon.  Jeremiah,  272;    On 

Pictures,  273. 
Massachusetts,  Medicine  in,  Fox, 

249. 
Mavor,  Wilham,  306,  311  n. 
McBride,  Dr.  James,  338. 
McClintock,  Rev.  Mr.,  1. 
McClure,  Capt.  Samuel,  48  n. 
McLane,  Dr.  Allen,  335  n. 
Meacham,  Dr.,  34. 
Mease,  Dr.  James,  On  Scull-Cap 

and  Hydrophobia,  324. 
Meckel,  Prof.,  Anatomist,  186  n. 
Medical   Practice   Laws  in   New 

York,  20. 
Medical  Schools  in  1809,  179. 
Medical  and  Philosophical  Regis- 
ter, 154. 
Mellen,  Judge  Prentiss,  315  N. 
Meredith,  William,  290  n. 
Miller,    Dr.    Edward,    17  N,    155, 

247,  257,  265. 
Miller,  Mr.  Samuel,  222  N. 
Milnor,    Rev.    James,     On     Mr. 

George  Richards  and  On  a  Loan 

of  Money,  273. 


Mitchill,  Miss  Amantha,  358  n. 

Mitchill,  Dr.  Samuel  Latham,  16; 
On  "The  Repository,"  On  Med- 
ical Laws  in  New  York,  and  on 
Chemical  Lectures,  17-21;  On 
Lectures  in  New  York,  42;  On 
Dr.  Spaldmg's  Bills  of  Mortal- 
ity 101,  114;  On  American 
Medical  Magazmes,  155,  208; 
On  annuities,  246;  On  Pro- 
posed Removal  to  New  York, 
252;  On  Bills  of  Mortahty,  255, 
298;  On  Scull  Cap,  325,  327, 
329;  On  New  York  Medical 
Affairs,  348;  On  The  Pharma- 
copoeia and  on  West  Point,  357; 
His  Portrait,  357;  His  Brief 
Eulogy  on  Dr.  Spalding,  366. 

Moffatt.  Miss  Katharine,  84. 

Monge,  Gaspard,  13  n. 

Monro,  Dr.  Alexander,  186  N. 

Montague,  Mr.,  212,  213. 

Morrill,  Dr.  David  Lawrence, 
M.C.,  347  N. 

Morrill,  Dr.  Samuel,  On  New 
Hampshire  Medical  Society,  250. 

Morse,  Dr.,  93. 

Mortality,  Dr.  Spaldmg's  Bills  of. 
Begun,  38,  100;  and  often  men- 
tioned in  Letters. 

Mott,  Dr.  Valentme,  178,  179, 
179  N,  316. 

Mussey,  Reuben  Dimond,  242  n, 
249. 

Nancrede,  Paul  Joseph,  11  n,  32, 
53. 

Neal,  John,  On  the  Spaldings,  3. 

Neil,  William,  On  Portsmouth 
Affairs,  182. 

New  Hampshire  Medical  Society, 
37,  250,  340. 

New  Hampshire,  Roads  in,  140. 

New  Nomenclature  of  Dr.  Spald- 
ing's, 42,  113. 

New  York  City,  Dr.  Spalding's 
Report  on  Condition  of  Streets 
of,  333. 

New  York  County  Medical  So- 
ciety, 329. 

Noddle's  Island  Vaccination  Test, 
109. 


INDEX 


375 


"  Normanclie  "  Ship,  80. 

North  Carolina,  Medical  Practice 
in,  251,  260. 

North,  Dr.  Elisha,  69,  70  n.,  156. 

Nott,  Rev.  Dr.  Eliphalet,  207  n. 

Noyes,  Dr.  Josiah,  On  Fairfield 
Medical  School  Affairs,  192, 194, 
195,  202,  204,  209,  215,  216,  218, 
225,  226. 

Noyes,  Dr.  Nathan,  21  N,  38;  On 
Medical  Practice  in  Newbury, 
43;  On  Surgical  Emergencies, 
45;  On  Hanover  and  His  Medi- 
cal Practice,  70;  On  Dr.  Na- 
than Smith,  71;  On  Vaccina- 
tion and  Lettuce,  73;  His 
Opinion  of  Dr.  Spalding  as  a 
Lecturer,  76;  On  Lettuce,  77; 
On  Dartmouth  Medical  School 
Affairs,  80;  On  Rehgious  Mania, 
82;  On  Vaccine  Matter,  121; 
On  a  Skeleton,  138;  On  Dr. 
Spalding's  Bills  of  Mortality, 
187;  On  The  War  of  1812,  263; 
On  Dr.  Spalding's  Ambition, 
264;  Nominated  Professor  at 
Dartmouth,  264. 

Oliver,  Dr.  Daniel,  59  N,  248  N. 
Opium  Raised  in  Portsmouth,  157. 
Osbom,  Dr.  John  Churchill,  258  n. 

Page,  Mr.,  of  Cornish,  237. 

Paine,  Capt.,  279. 

Parke,  Dr.  Thomas,  354  n. 

Parkhurst,  Elizabeth  Cady,  1. 

Parkhurst,  John,  278  N. 

Parkhurst,  Timothy,  1. 

Parkman,  Dr.  George,  259  N. 

Parrish,  Dr.  Joseph,  168;  Lec- 
tures of,  178. 

Parry,  Edward,  Letter  on  Min- 
erals, 180. 

Parsons,  Mr.,  180. 

Parsons,  Dr.  Usher,  U.  S.  N., 
Letters  on  Europe,  305  et  seq. 

Pascalis  (Ouvieres),  Dr.  Felix,  288. 

Pass,  Martha,  173. 

Pattison,  Granville  Sharp,  M.D., 
292  N. 

Peabody,  "General,"  266  n. 

Peck,   Prof.  WilUam  Dandridge, 


37,  80  n;  On  Cardamon  Seeds, 
276. 

Perceval,  Sir  Robert,  On  Scull- 
Cap,  326;  On  the  Pharma- 
copoeia, 349. 

Perkins,  Dr.  Cyrus,  139;  On  a 
Patient,  146;  On  Philadelphia 
Medical  School,  165;  On  Dr. 
Spalding,  194. 

Perkins,  Dr.  Elisha  and  his  Tractor, 
35. 

Perry,  Mr.  Joseph,  On  Dartmouth 
Affairs,  282. 

Pharmacopoeia  of  the  United 
States  Started,  283;  Sugges- 
tions Concerning  the,  298;  Con- 
vention for  the,  320  n;  Men- 
tioned, 334,  335;  Boston  Con- 
vention for  the,  353;  Philadel- 
phia Convention  for  the,  354; 
Washington  Convention  for  the, 
357;  Description  of  First  Edi- 
tion of  the,  360;  Criticisms  of 
the,  363;   Costs  of  the,  365. 

Philadelphia,  Epidemic  in,  107; 
Medical  Affairs  in,  244,  246,  248, 
166  et  seq. 

Physick,  Dr.  Philip  Syng,  166  n; 
Lectures  of,  169. 

Pierce,  Charles,  123  N,  188. 

Pierrepont,  Dr.  James  Harvey,  On 
Portsmouth  Medical  Affairs, 
152;  On  Portsmouth  and  Phila- 
delphia Affairs,  183;  Men- 
tioned, 248,  261,  302;  On  the 
Pharmacopoeia,  341. 

Pike,  Gen.  Zebulon,  231  N,  232. 

Piatt,  Gen.  Jonas,  210  n. 

Plumer,  Gov.  WilUam,  On  Dr. 
Spalding's  Medical  Paper,  and 
on  Medicine  in  New  Hampshire, 
300,  301  N,  302. 

Polhemus,  Dr.  John,  366. 

Pomeroy,  Dr.  9,  n. 

Porter,  Dr.  Ezekiel,  34. 

Portland,  Maine,  Medical  Affairs 
at,  in  1807,  133. 

Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  36; 
Library  at,  84;  Yellow  Fever 
at,  104;  Lightning  Injuries  at, 
137. 

Post,  Dr.  Wright,  240  N. 


376 


INDEX 


Pott,  Percival,  103  N. 

Potter,    Dr.    Nathaniel,    On    the 

PharmacopcEia,  342,  352. 
Pratt,  Miss  Betsy,  189. 
Prescott,     George     Washington, 

77  N,  81  N. 
Preston,  Dr.  John,  190  N. 
Prickly  Ash,  298. 
Priestly,  Rev.  Joseph,  113  N. 
Ptosis,  Case  of.  111. 
Puddiag  Time,  67  n. 
Purcell,  Mrs.,  85. 
Putnam,  Gen.  Israel,  1. 

Quassia,  Prince,  174. 

Ramsay,  Dr.  Alexander,  His  Ca- 
reer, 149;  At  Dartmouth,  155; 
At  The  Fairfield  Medical  School, 
240,  241;  Certificate  Concern- 
ing Dr.  Spalding,  287;  On  The 
Fryeburg  Medical  School,  288; 
On  The  Philadelphia  Anatomi- 
cal Chair  and  Fever,  291;  Tries 
to  Establish  a  School  in  New 
Hampshire,  305;  His  Work  on 
the  "Brain,"  336  n. 

Ramsay,  Dr.  David,  On  Medical 
Writings,  85;  On  Chemistry 
and  Lettuce,  86;  On  YeUow 
Fever  and  Calomel,  87. 

Ramsay,  Mrs.  David,  87  n. 

Randolph,  John,  M.C.,  239. 

Ranney,  Dr.  Thomas  Stowe,  57  n. 

Reece,  Dr.  Richard,  On  the  Phar- 
macopoeia, 316  N,  317. 

Reid,  Dr.  John,  325  n. 

Revere,  Dr.  John,  206  N. 

Richards,  Rev.  George,  77  n;  On 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Spalding,  127  n; 
Visits  Dr.  Rush,  164,  181  n; 
Death  of,  273. 

Ricketson,  Dr.  Shadrack,  On  His 
Writings,  122;  On  Syringes  and 
Publications  of  His  Own,  153; 
At  Fairfield  Medical  School,  123. 

Ring,  Dr.  John,  "Honest  John," 
95,  95  N,  108. 

Robinson,  George,  8  n. 

Robinson,  Nicholas,  33  N. 

Robinson,  Dr.  Samuel,  On  Phar- 
macopcBia,  345. 


Rodgers,  Dr,  John  Bayard  Rich- 
ardson, 20  N,  208. 

Rogers,  Capt.  Jedediah,  238, 
238  n;  On  Money  and  the 
Spaldings,  275. 

Rogers,  Dr.  Patrick  Kerr,  178  N. 

Rogers,  Mrs.  Sallie,  257. 

RomajTie,  Dr.  Nicholas,  15  N, 
208. 

Rose,  Dr.  Samuel  Haiaes,  On 
Vacciaation,  67. 

Rosebrook,  A  Cancer  Patient,  7  N. 

Rousselet,  Lucy  Adriana,  84. 

Rousselet,  Mr.  Nicholas,  On  Edu- 
cation of  His  Daughter  Lucy 
Adriana  and  on  Jequirity,  85. 

Rowe,  Dr.,  57. 

Rush,  Dr.  Benjamin,  On  Medical 
Affairs,  100,  100  n,  164;  His 
Lectures,  171,  188,  189;  Dr. 
Caldwell  on,  262. 

Russell,  Dr.  Alexander,  33  N. 

Russell,  Dr.  Richard,  305. 

Sangrado,  186  n. 

Sauvage,  Dr.  Francois,  73  N. 

Scott,  Rev.  Mr.,  181  n. 

Scull-Cap  Pamphlet  on,  319,  326, 
328. 

Seaman,  Dr.  Valentine,  331. 

Seaward,  Capt.  John,  181  n,  182. 

Sewall,  Jonathan  Mitchell,  98  N. 

Sewall,  Samuel,  158  n. 

Sewall,  Dr.  Thomas,  203  n,  304. 

Shattuck,  Dr.  George  Cheyne, 
195  n;  Letters  on  the  Fairfield 
Medical  School,  196,  200,  202, 
203,  204,  208,  209,  210,  213,  215, 
217,  218,  227,  228;  Resigns 
from,  224;  On  Dr.  James 
Thacher,  229;  At  Fairfield, 
242;  On  Dr.  Spalding's  "In- 
stitutes," 281;  Introduces  Dr. 
E.  Clapp,  287;  Illness  and  Acci- 
dent, 304;  On  the  Pharma- 
copa'ia,  336. 

Sheaffe,  Gen.  Sir  Roger  Hale, 
231  N. 

Shecut,  Dr.  John  Linnaeus  Ed- 
ward Whitridge,  On  Atmos- 
pheric Electricity,  295-8. 

Shelby,  Dr.  John,  176  N. 


INDEX 


377 


Sheldon,  Col.,  8  N. 

Sheldon,  Dr.  Alexander,  216  N. 

Sherwood,  Dr.  Jonathan,  200  n; 
On  Fairfield  Affairs,  227,  231; 
On  Dr.  Ricketson,  233,  238. 

Shippen,  Dr.,  171. 

Silliman,  Prof.  Benjamin,  144, 
144  n;  On  Meteors,  188,  225; 
On  Europe,  250;  Lectures  by, 
270. 

Sinclair,  Sir  John,  154  n;  His 
"Code  of  Longevity,"  184. 

Skeleton,  138. 

Smith  and  Bartlett,  8  n. 

Smith,  Dr.  Calvin,  On  an  Opera- 
tion, 236. 

Smith,  Dr.  Charles,  355  n. 

Smith,  Dr.  David  Hall  Chase, 
284  N. 

Smith,  Dr.  Ehhu  Hubbard,  17  N, 

Smith,  Dr.  John  Augustine,  258  N, 
On  Dr.  Spalding  as  Trustee  in 
Medical  School,  265,  289  n. 

Smith,  Dr.  Joseph  Mather,  331. 

Smith,  Miss  Mary,  210  n. 

Smith,  Miss  Nabby,  70  N. 

Smith,  Dr.  Nathan,  Birth  and 
Education,  2;  Medical  Lottery, 
2;  Wives  and  Children,  3;  On 
Voyage  to  Europe,  6,  7;  Re- 
trnms  from  Europe,  10;  On 
Trephining,  44  n;  On  Dr. 
Spalding's  Resignation  as  Lec- 
turer, 48,  50;  Opinions  of  His 
PupUs  on,  64,  65,  71;  On  Dr. 
Spalding  Renewing  Chemical 
Lectures,  80;  On  Vaccination, 
Cancers,  Curers  and  Dart- 
mouth Affairs,  89;  On  Opera- 
tion for  Stone,  90;  On  Dr. 
Spalding's  Galvanic  Battery, 
112;  Medical  Advice  from,  115; 
On  Dartmouth  and  The  Case  of 
Benjamin  Fay,  131;  On  Cata- 
racts, 137;  On  Quackery,  142; 
On  a  Lay  Reader  at  St.  Johns, 
Portsmouth,  145;  On  His  Miss- 
ing Umbrella,  145;  On  Dr. 
Ramsay  at  Dartmouth,  149, 
150,  151;  On  Dartmouth  Medi- 
cal School  Affairs,  156;  On  the 
New  Medical  Building  at  Dart- 


mouth, 159;  Certificate  to  Dr. 
Spalding,  161;  On  Dr.  Spald- 
ing's Voyage  to  Europe,  163; 
On  Philadelphia  Affairs  and 
Dissecting  Troubles,  186;  men- 
tioned, 225;  On  a  Medical 
Oration,  247;  Mentioned,  249; 
On  Em-opean  Voyage  of  Dr. 
Spalding,  259  n;  Hemorrhages 
and  Nosology,  269;  On  Dr. 
Spalding's  "Institutes,"  293; 
On  Col.  Dyer  Spalding,  272; 
On  His  Fanuly,  284;  On 
Goitre,  313. 

Smith,  Judge  Nathan,  Letters  on 
The  Fairfield  Medical  School, 
198,  213,  214,  215,  219,  220,  221, 
225,  230;  Mentioned,  197  n, 
201,  211,  216;  On  Robert  Ful- 
ton, 234;  Visits  Dr.  Spalding 
in  Portsmouth,  222;  and  in 
New  York,  240. 

Smith,  Dr.  Nathan  Ryno,  28,  44, 
44  N. 

Smith,  Mr.  Robert,  161  n. 

Smith,  Mr.  Samuel,  204,  237. 

Smith,  Mr.  Wilham,  200,  204  N. 

Soda  Water  Machines,  156,  160, 
256. 

Spalding,  Adelaide  Coues,  79. 

Spalding,  Alfred  Peter,  79. 

Spalding,  Col.  Dyer,  1,  2;  Men- 
tioned, 234,  272,  276,  314. 

Spalding,  Mrs.  Dyer,  1;  Growth 
on  Face,  7;  On  Home  Affairs,  317. 

Spalding,  Edward  Jenner,  238  N. 

Spalding,  Miss  Elizabeth  Park- 
hurst,  112  N. 

Spalding,  Dr.  Lyman,  Birth  and 
Education,  1;  At  Harvard 
Medical  School,  3;  Boards  with 
Dr.  Smith  at  Cornish,  5;  Carries 
on  Dr.  Smith's  Practice,  8; 
Horse  Back  Tour  in  Vermont, 
8;  Graduated  at  Harvard,  10; 
College  Friends,  10;  Skeletons 
from  Europe,  11  n;  Letters  on 
Medical  Books,  11,  32,  53; 
Chemical  Lecturer  at  Dart- 
mouth, 12;  "New  Nomencla- 
ture" published,  12,  42;  Early 
Medical  Papers  by,  14;  Friend- 


378 


INDEX 


ship  with  Dr.  Mit chill,  14;  On 
"The  Medical  Repository,"  16; 
Sick  with  Fever,  18  n;  On 
H5'drophobia,  18,  19;  Money 
Dealings  with  Dr.  Waterhouse, 
22,  23;  On  Dartmouth  Medical 
School  Affans,  22;  On  The 
Plagiarism  of  Dr.  Daniel  Adams, 
24;  To  President  Wheelock  on 
Lea\Tng  Dartmouth,  27;  Prac- 
tices in  Walpole,  New  Hamp- 
shire, 29;  On  Walpole  Affairs, 
30;  On  Dartmouth  Medical 
School  Affairs,  31;  Visits  Bos- 
ton, 31,  32  n;  On  Chemicals 
for  the  Medical  School,  33; 
Settles  in  Portsmouth,  34;  Bills 
of  MortaUty,  38;  Ajiatomical 
Cabinet,  38;  Contract  Surgeon 
U.  S.  Army,  38,  41;  On  Chemi- 
cal Lectureship,  49,  50,  52;  Vac- 
cinates in  Portsmouth,  53-62; 
Vaccmation  Profits,  54;  On 
Vaccination  "Trust,"  55;  As  a 
Mason,  77;  Marriage,  79;  Sends 
Lettuce  to  Dr.  David  Ramsay, 
86;  Uses  Oxygen  Gas,  87  n; 
Vaccination  Tests,  88  et  seq.; 
Orders  Drugs  from  London,  91; 
Letters  to  Rush  and  Jefferson, 
100;  Second  Vaccination  Test, 
104;  Marriage,  110;  On  Spon- 
taneous Combustion,  111;  Trea- 
tise on  Skin  Diseases,  126;  On 
Post  Roads,  140;  On  Aneu- 
risms, 145,  154,  159;  On  Skin 
Diseases,  148;  On  Soda  Water 
Fount,  156;  Raises  Opimn,  157; 
Plans  to  leave  Portsmouth,  160; 
Government  Claim,  160;  Plans 
for  Evuopean  Voyage,  160-164; 
Accident  at  Fort  Constitution, 
164;  Visit  to  Philadelphia,  166; 
Accepts  Invitation  to  The  Fair- 
field Medical  School,  194;  On 
Fairfield  Medical  School,  212; 
Trustee  New  York  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  216; 
On  Dr.  Shattuck's  Resignation 
from  Fairfield,  223;  Settles  in 
Now  York  City,  228;  Professor 
of  Institutes  of  Medicine,  231; 


Cataract  Cases,  230  n;  Presi- 
dent of  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons  of  the  Western 
District  New  York,  234;  On 
Affairs  at  Fau-field,  1815,  Re- 
signs Professorship  Institutes  of 
Medicme,  238;  On  the  Affair  of 
Dr.  Alexander  Ramsay  at  Fair- 
field, 240;  Resigns  from  Fair- 
field, 241;  Letters  on  SeUing 
his  Practice  at  Portsmouth,  253; 
Offers  his  Services  in  the  War  of 
1812,  263;  Medical  Member- 
ships in  New  York,  267;  On  the 
Pharmacopoeia,  283;  Efforts  to 
Obtain  Chair  of  Anatomy  in 
Philadelphia,  287-293;  On  Visit- 
ing Mr.  Peter  Jay,  268;  To  his 
Wife,  on  Moving  to  New  York, 
275;  His  "Open  Letters"  to 
Eminent  Physicians,  279,  329; 
"Institutes  of  Medicine,"  293; 
His  GeniaUty,  302;  Satire  on 
Goitre,  314  n;  Papers  on  Medi- 
cine and  Natural  History,  329; 
Defense  of  his  paper  on  ScuU- 
Cap,  327;  His  Various  Offices, 
329;  His  Discovery  of  Lympha- 
tic Preparations,  330;  On  the 
Pharmacopoeia  and  Medical 
Pohce,  344;  Visit  to  Washing- 
ton, 356;  Letter  to  his  Wife  on 
the  Pharmacopoeia,  359;  Letter 
to  Dr.  Warren  with  Copy  of 
Pharmacopoeia,  365;  Accident 
and  Death,  366;  Dr.  Mitchell's 
Euology  of,  366. 

Spalding,  Mrs.  Lyman,  Domestic 
Life  in  New  York,  238. 

Spalding,  Lyman  Dyer,  99  N, 
189  N,  238;  Fishes  off  of  WaU 
Street,  333;  Goes  to  Philadel- 
phia at  Age  of  Ten,  359. 

Spalding  Family  Amusements  in 
New  York,  333. 

Spalding,  Dr.  Matthias,  Brings 
Silver  Gilt  Snuff  Box  from 
Jenner  to  Waterhouse,  108  N. 

Spalding,  Dr.  Matthias,  On  Buy- 
ing Dr.  Lyman  Spalding's 
Practice,  253;  On  the  Pharma- 
copoeia, 347. 


INDEX 


379 


Spalding,  Dr.  Noah,  On  Dart- 
mouth Medical  Affairs,  68, 69, 91. 

Spalding,  Sanford,  78  n,  266. 

Spalding,  Silas,  Family  Affairs,  14, 
130;  On  Dartmouth  Medical 
Affairs,  68. 

Spalding,  Mrs.  Silas,  79  n. 

Sparhawk,  The  Name  of,  97  N. 

Sparhawk,  John  Stearns,  22  N. 

Spencer,  Judge,  220. 

St.  John's  Parish  at  Portsmouth, 
Lay  Reader  for,  146;  Founda- 
tion Stone  of.  Laid  by  Dr, 
LjTiian  Spalding,  78  N. 

St.  Rosa,  287. 

Standing  Committee  of  Fairfield, 
Letter  on  Medical  Affairs,  199. 

Stark,  Dr.  WiUiam,  299  n. 

Stearns,  Dr.  John,  299  n;  On  the 
Pharmacopoeia,  364. 

Stern,  Dr.  Thomas,  19  n. 

Stevens,  Dr.  Alexander  Hodgdon, 
299  N,  316. 

Stevens,  John,  268. 

Steward,  Dr.  Samuel,  354  n. 

Stewart,  Mr.,  318  n. 

Stoddard,  Capt.,  U.  S.  A.,  41. 

Stone,  Esq.,  190. 

Stones,  217;  Extracted  by  Dr. 
Nathan  Smith,  91. 

Storer,  Clement,  U.  S.  Senator, 
On  Post  Roads,  141,  141  N. 

Stowe,  Dr.,  57  n. 

Stringham,  Dr.  James  Sykes, 
208  N. 

Strong,  Gov.  Caleb,  263  N. 

Swainson,  Mr.  Wilham,  On  His 
Works,  317,  317  n. 

Sweat,  Dr.  Moses,  71  n. 

Swett,  Dr.  John  Barnard,  45  N. 

Swords,  Pubhshers,  17  n,  279. 

Sydenham,  Dr.  Thomas,  115  N. 

Sykes,  Dr.  James,  335  N. 

Taft,  Dr.  Charles,  Student  of  Dr. 
Spalding,  150,  151  n,  249  n; 
On  His  Practice  in  North  Caro- 
lina, 251,  260;  Mentioned, 
277  N. 

Taylor,  Dr.,  277  N. 

Tenney,  Dr.  Samuel,  266  N. 

TerreU,  Dr.  William,  M.C.,  352  n. 


Thacher,  Dr.  James,  229  n;  On 
Scull-Cap,  323;  On  the  Phar- 
macopoeia, 345. 

The  Medical  Repository,  Men- 
tioned, 16-18. 

Thenard,  Baron,  309  N. 

Thompson,  Hon.  Smith,  On  Phar- 
macopoeia, 362,  362  N. 

Thomson,  Dr.  Anthony  Todd,  On 
the  Pharmacopoeia,  346,  346  n. 

Thomdike,  Dr.  WiUiam,  on  Min- 
eral Waters,  255,  256  n. 

Thurston,  Dr.  John,  On  Buying 
Dr.  Spalding's  Practice,  254; 
On  Bills  of  Mortahty,  301,  359. 

Tibia,  Necrosis  of,  Remarkable 
Case  of,  110. 

Tiffany,  Mr.,  215. 

Tilton,  Dr.  Joseph,  216  n. 

Tompkins,  Gov.  Daniel  Duane, 
215,  215  N,  220,  263;  Promises 
Dr.  Spalding  his  Family  Prac- 
tice, 222. 

Torrey,  Dr.  Augustus,  6  n,  71  N. 

Torrey,  Dr.  Erastus,  353  n. 

Torrey,  Dr.  John,  348  n. 

Townsend,  Rev.  Joseph,  27  N. 

Tractoration,  35. 

Trail,  Dr.  Thomas  Stewart,  317  N. 

Trask,  Dr.  Nathan,  314  n. 

Trefethen,  Capt.  Henry,  135. 

Trevett,  Dr.  Samuel,  U.  S.  N., 
303;  On  Mrs.  Trevett  as  Dr. 
Spaldmg's  Patient,  304;  Gift 
to  Dr.  Spalding,  304. 

Trinity  BiU,  230  n. 

Tuberculosis,  Foxglove  in,  66. 

Tully,  Dr.  Wilham,  225  n. 

Vaccination,  Introduction  of,  48; 
At  Portsmouth,  53;  Scheme  for 
Commerciahzing,  54,  55,  56; 
Price  of  a  Bond  for  Vaccinating, 
58 ;  Dr.  Spalding's  Fhst  30  Cases, 
59;  At  Hanover,  63;  Town 
Meetings  on  Testing  Efficacy 
of,  63  n;  Dr.  Gerrish  on,  66; 
Dr.  Rose  on,  67;  Dr.  Noyes  on, 
73;  Vaccination  Class  at  Ports- 
mouth, 88;  First  Pubhc  Test  of 
byDr.  Spaldmg,88;  Mentioned, 
105,  121,  134. 


380 


INDEX 


Vaccination,  Use  of  Scabs  in,  136, 

140,  272. 
Vancleve,  Dr.  John,  On  Scull  Cap, 

320. 
Vanderveer,  Dr.  Henry,  On  Scull 

Cap,  322,  323. 
Vanderveer,    Dr.    Lawrence,    On 

Scull  Cap,  320,  321. 
Vaughan,    Dr.    Benjamin,    M.P., 

399  N. 
Vaughan,  Dr.  John,  On  Willan's 

Book  on  Skin  Diseases,  127, 158; 

Mentioned,  189. 
Vauquelin,  Prof.  Louis  Nicholas, 

309  N. 
Vergnies     (De    Bonchiere),     Dr. 

Francis,  121  n. 
Vose,  Roger,  Esq.,  33. 

Wait,  Mr.  (Printer),  281,  336. 

Wakefield,  Mr.  Gilbert,  342  n. 

Walpole,  Medical  Cases  at,  29. 

Warren,  Dr.  John,  4  n. 

Warren,  Dr.  John  Colhns,  38;  On 
the  Pharmacopoeia,  143,  143  n; 
On  Massachiisetts  Medical  Af- 
fairs, 244;  On  The  New  Eng- 
land Medical  Journal,  249,  264; 
On  Le  GaUois  Experiments,  271; 
On  Chair  of  Anatomy  at  Phila- 
delphia, 290;  On  the  U.  S. 
Pharmacopoeia,  336;  On  Giving 
up  Midwifery,  337;  On  the 
Pubhcation  of  the  U.  S.  Phar- 
macopoeia, 363. 

Waterhouse,  Dr.  Benjamin,  Natu- 
ral History  Lectures,  5;  Note 
to  Dr.  Spalding,  22;  Children, 
22  n;  On  Vaccination,  53,  54, 
55,  56,  57,  60;  Tests  His 
Children,  88;  On  Vaccination 
again,  98;  On  Mackerel,  102; 
On  Vaccination,  104,  105,  107, 
111,  136;  Silver  Gilt  Snuff  Box 
from  Edward  Jenner,  108  n; 
Introduces  Mr.  Wait,  281. 

Watts,  Dr.  John  Jr.,  316  n. 

Webster,  Daniel,  217  n. 

Wentworth,  Col.  Michael,  HI. 

Wentworth,  Mrs.  Michael,  Dr. 
Spalding  as  Executor  of  Will  of, 
111. 


Wentworth,  "Sir"  John,  63,  63  n, 
268. 

Wheelock,  Rev.  John,  President 
of  Dartmouth,  27  n;  Letter  for 
Dr.  Spalding,  28;  On  Costs  and 
Curriculum  at  Dartmouth  in 
1800,  46;  On  Dr.  Spalding's 
Resignation,  48;  Commenda- 
tory Letter  to  Dr.  Spalding,  in 
1810,  161. 

White,  Mr.  Charles,  174  n. 

White,  Dr.  Joseph,  194  n;  At 
Fairfield  Medical  School,  238, 
239,  241. 

Whitman,  Ezekiel,  315  N. 

Wilkins,  Dr.  Henry,  343. 

WiUan,  Dr.  Robert,  His  "Cutane- 
ous Diseases,"  126  et  seq. 

WiUard,  Rev.  Joseph,  73. 

WUhams,  Dr.  Stephen  West,  On 
Scull  Cap,  322. 

WUloughby,  Dr.  Westel,  Jr., 
203  N,  208;  On  Fakfield  Af- 
fairs, 211,  212,  226,  228,  231, 
234,  235,  237,  238,  239.  242. 

Wilson,  Mrs.  Lois,  1. 

WUson,  Dr.  A.  Phihp,  "On  Fe- 
brile Diseases,"  285  n,  294. 

Wilson,  Rev.  Mr.  (Hebrew 
Scholar),  292. 

Wilson,  Six  Robert,  308  N. 

Wilson,  Thomas,  1. 

Wingate,  Mr.  George,  61  n. 

Wistar,  Dr.  Caspar,  166;  Lec- 
tures, 175;  Mentioned,  188;  On 
Dr.  Spalding's  Removal  to  New 
York,  258;  Riunors  of  Death  of, 
271;  Death  of,  287. 

Woodhouse,  Dr.  James,  174. 

Woodward,  William  H.,  18  n, 
28  N,  80;  On  Governor  Lang- 
don's  Coming  to  Dartmouth, 
136,  261. 

Yeaton,  Capt.  WiUiam,  180. 
Yellow  Fever  in  Portsmouth,  104. 
Yellow  Fever,  Dr.  Shecut's  Theory 

of  Electricity  in  Causation  of, 

296,  297. 


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